The People's Progressive Party youth leader, Mr T. Murugiah, raised a storm at the recent party congress to insist on polygamy as a solution to society's ills. The PPP women's leader thought it such an excellent idea that she wanted her husband to be a bigamist. The National Front, of which the PPP is a minor member, kept quiet amidst the furore. Until the tide turned, and the stupidity of Mr Murugiah's remarks placed the onus on the National Front of double-dealing. He has now apologised to women for his remarks, and could well be suspended from the party. But his conscience he insists is clear -- which politician's is not, especially with his non-existent political career withering before him? -- and espoused polygamy with the noblest and, no doubt, without consulting his party. After apologising to women, he says: "I was just protecting their interest as there are many cases of illegitimate births in the country ... we should not be a nation which hides behind such issues ... I am deeply concerned about their plight." He seems also to believe polygamy would end illegitimate births. That shows him to be naive and a fool to boot.

If all he said is true and he clearly believes in polygamy, how much weight can one put on his apology to women? He may believe in any idea, but how did it become the PPP's? His mistake was to suggest it as a party leader. But then if he had made it as an individual, he would be dismissed as the fool he proves to be. His party president, Dato' M. Kayveas, is the least embarrassed by this ruckus. But with the heat now on him, he wants to suspend the fellow. Should he not suspend himself first? After all, he should have approved the speech before it was delivered. Or did he? If he did, why did he not object? If he did not, why is he president? What happened is more than an aberration. If Mr Murugiah defied party orders, he should not be suspended but sacked. If he did not, or the party central committee did not scrutinise it, then the PPP is indeed the joke it is.

Like the Gerakan, the PPP claims to be a multiracial party. But the multiracial Gerakan wants to replace the MCA as the party of the Chinese, and the PPP the MIC as the party of the Indians. The Gerakan has its token Malay and Indian leaders as the PPP the token Malay and Chinese. The Gerakan and MCA represents the two factions in Chinese politics in a divide reminiscent of turf battles amongst Chinese secret societies. There are two major groups in Chinese politics; the MCA (and the PAP in Singapore and the Malayan Communist Party) is on one, and Gerakan (and the DAP, the Barisan Socialis in Singapore, the Koumintang) on the other. The split in the MCA that spawned the Gerakan only formalised it. There is, in other words, more affinity between the Gerakan and the DAP that between the Gerakan and the MCA.

There is no such division in Indian politics. It is said, in jest, that if three Indians argue about politics, they would form five political parties. In Malaysia, at least six parties, three with only post box addresses, represent Indians. The PPP was once a party for the Chinese run by Indians, then a Chinese party for the Chinese, and now an Indian party for the Indians. It lost its way when after the death of its star, Mr D.R. Seenivasagam, his brother, Dato' S.P. Seenivasagam brought it into the National Front. When he died, a former cabinet minister expelled from the MCA took it over, and after him came a succession of would-be politicians, the latest of which is Dato' Kayveas, who became the first PPP man to enter the government.

The party still does not have an MP or state assemblyman, and Dato' Kayveas had to be appointed a senator before he became a deputy minister. He now wants PPP to be given a constituency in the general elections. And with it, the right to lead the Indian community. Ever the Walter Mitty in politics, he lives in his dreams. When he is shaken out of his stupor and reality, he flays out, as now, as an amok with a knife. That is what in his view politics is all about. The PPP claims it has 500,000 members, give or take a few hundred thousand, The PPP offices are well-kept secrets, and it comes to life when Mr Murugiah and others make stupid statements or when disgruntled party members take their leaders to court for not getting them the promised state awards. But is that what politics is all about?

M.G.G. Pillai
pillai@mgg.pc.my