Out of the blue: new PKR veep K. Saraswathy aims to be voice for all members

KUALA LUMPUR – The name K. Saraswathy may not be synonymous with PKR for many members or supporters, but the newly appointed vice-president intends to get off the mark with her approachability and neutral stance within the party.

Speaking to The Vibes at the party’s headquarters here recently, the 54-year-old lawyer admitted that the decision made by the leadership to appoint her as one of the seven vice-presidents in the party had taken her by surprise, giving her mixed feelings.

“I was being congratulated by a party member in the morning prior to the announcement. I was shocked.

“We had just concluded the party’s election, which had been a long and arduous process. I least expected it,” she recalled.

“Pretty much, being a vice-president means wearing an enormous pair of slippers, especially as an appointed office bearer,” she said, stressing that members expect much work from a leader whom they least expected to be appointed.

If I, say, was a frontrunner for the position, that would mean a set expectation from those who support you. But when you are appointed out of the blue, party members measure you differently,” the legal adviser to Tamil-language daily Tamil Malar said.

Asked on why the party’s central leadership council agreed to appoint her, Saraswathy said it was probably due to her stance on being a neutral member within the party.

“During the party election, I was part of PKR’s election committee, and along with its head Dr Zaliha Mustafa, we were quite occupied with overseeing the party’s election process.

“I am not aligned with any faction within PKR. I am all for the leadership of Datuk Seri (Anwar Ibrahim) and his deputy Rafizi Ramli.

“Factionalism exists in every party because it represents a form of democracy. That said, it must not lead to fractionalism,” she stressed.

Of Penang and political activism

Born and bred in Penang, the single lady is the youngest of four children who grew up on the island, with her late father having established a restaurant cum lodging business in George Town.

The establishment, named Kaliammans, she said, had operated in Penang for approximately 50 years until it was subsequently relocated to Jalan Ipoh Kecil in Kuala Lumpur, where she continues her father’s legacy.

Describing her foray into politics as one of naivety, Saraswathy recalled being first roped in to join MIC under one of its branches in Seberang Jaya in the late 80s.

“At that time, the Wanita MIC branch leader was stepping down, and the role was offered to my elder sister by a senior party member who was also a relative.

“She was all set to join, but because she was born in India and possessed a red IC then, I was told to take it up instead. At that time, I was waiting for my SPM results.

On the day I was issued the membership, I was also made the Wanita branch chief,” she said, adding that the decision to do so was very ignorant on her part.

The positive side of that episode, she said, was the fact that she was introduced to both Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the Permatang Pauh MP and Tan Sri Ibrahim Saad, who was Penang deputy chief minister during the early 90s.

Two years later, she left Penang to study law in Kuala Lumpur following her STPM, subsequently leaving MIC.

“When Datuk Seri (Anwar) exposed the Maika Holdings Bhd scandal in 1992 during Parliament sittings, I was studying law and working part-time for Tamil daily Malaysia Nanban.

“I was entrusted to do translation and research on Maika and the related companies that he had exposed.

In due time, following my findings, I became very disillusioned with MIC and its members by the way they had come out to support its president at the height of the scandal then,” she said.

In 1996, she was asked by Anwar to help translate his book The Asian Renaissance, an experience which allowed her to look at his political ideology.

“There was a perception of Anwar that he was an ultra-(Malay) but when one reads the collection, his thoughts truly reflect who he is,” she said.

Eighteen months later, the book was launched in August 1998, she said, with subsequent events including Anwar’s sacking, the “Reformasi” protests and the birth of PKR as a part of Malaysia’s history.

She said the aforementioned events formed her opinion of Anwar as a leader with a new ideology at that time.

Despite having followed Anwar and aiding PKR on the sidelines and fringes for years, Saraswathy admitted that she only joined the party recently in 2020 under its Batu division.

“I was asked to join by Anwar in 2012, but somewhere along the line, it did not materialise.

“Subsequently, I was asked to join in 2018, but I refused, because I did not want to be perceived as someone who had joined just when PKR and PH were in power. Only after the PH government fell did I finally join the party,” she said, adding that she had no intention of going into mainstream politics.

Despite being on the political fringe within the Indian community, Saraswathy had often been an opposing voice to the Barisan Nasional government, especially MIC, over the years, resulting in a host of legal battles, some of which are still ongoing.

“Till May, I was writing a weekly column for Tamil Malar, but I stopped for the time being to focus on the PKR polls.

“Additionally, I was also pulled in to become part of the party’s Planning and Policy Department as well.

“My column, which highlighted issues affecting the Indian community, was critical of MIC, but I do intend to resume my column in due time,” she said.

Saraswathy recalled an incident five years ago where “MIC Youth Boys” reportedly had caused a scuffle inside Tamil Malar’s office due to an article by the daily criticising the party’s activities in the Federal Territories.

The incident, she said, strengthened her resolve to fight for social causes, especially for the Indian community.

Prior to her appointment as PKR vice-president, Saraswathy was also focused on various social causes, having served as Skills Development Fund Corporation chairman during the PH government’s rule.

“Even before that, I was and am still organising (opportunities for) low-income (B40) youth to undergo skills training in private institutions.

“There is presently one whereby these young individuals are being sent to Singapore for culinary and hospitality training, and this is something that I wish to continue in my new capacity.

“I am looking forward to working together and seeking a possible collaboration with Nurul Izzah Anwar on these aspects, as she is very keen on technical vocational education and training,” she said.

Empowering women, community

Asked about her targets in PKR, she said that she aims to tackle numerous ongoing issues affecting the Indian community, such as Maika, the Indian Community Transformation Unit (Mitra), and the Employment Generation Guarantee Scheme (Janakerja).

“Indians in PKR make up the second highest members in the party after the Malays, with 33 of them elected as division chiefs. Therefore, it is crucial to advocate and drum up support from the Indian community by engaging with these leaders on issues affecting the community from time to time.

Mitra, Maika and Janakerja are the ones that have been highlighted by the media, but there are others as well that should be highlighted from time to time,” she said.

Additionally, she aims to be more nationalistic in her approach and dealings with party members, following sound advice given by former Wanita PKR chief Datuk Fuziah Salleh.

“She congratulated me following the appointment and advised me to help the Wanita wing and aid in their development by addressing their grouses.

“Many female members are looking up to me as well, and I am more than happy to listen to them,” she said.

Saraswathy was also quick to dismiss any possible opportunity to contest in the 15th general election, saying that being asked to focus on one area could cost her and the party an opportunity for her to campaign at a national level.

Basically, I am a researcher with a legal background. I am more suited to planning and formulating materials and narratives for party members to advocate upon to the masses.

“I am comfortable with that role and if need be, I am more than happy to speak up during campaigns,” she said.

As such, she called on party members to unite under the newly elected leadership and forge their forces together for the betterment of the party.

On July 20, Anwar announced Saraswathy, a lawyer by profession who had been part of the party’s election committee, as a vice-president.

It is learnt that Saraswathy’s appointment was made to balance the now pro-Rafizi line-up as well as the gender makeup in the party’s leadership.

In addition to Saraswathy, PKR also appointed as vice-presidents Nurul Izzah and Putatan MP Awang Suhaini Sahari, the latter representing Sabah and Sarawak.

PKR has a total of seven vice-presidents in its line-up, four of whom are elected, while the remaining three are appointed. – The Vibes, July 31, 2022