Kamalanathan’s decision to forgive his attacker is disappointing and baffling

Press Statement by M Kula Segaran, DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Ipoh Barat in Ipoh on Monday, January 27, 2014
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Kamalanathan’s decision to forgive his attacker is disappointing and baffling

Deputy Education Minister P. Kamalanathan in a statement yesterday said that he has forgiven the man who assaulted him at his service centre in Hulu Selangor on January 12.

He said the incident was a personal matter between Hulu Selangor Umno Youth assistant secretary Muhammad Rizuan Suhaimi and him, and what transpired was an unintentional act of emotion.

"To err is human and I have no reason to continue being upset with this incident," he said in his yesterday’s statement today.

Kamalanathan’s decision is disappointing and baffling as no violent act should be easily forgiven.

It is true that to err is human and to forgive is divine. But should Kamalanathan, as a deputy education minister forgive a violent attacker who is a teacher?  What kind of message will his act of forgiveness send to our school children?

I am sure that many members of the public not only do not agree with his decision , many also will question if he was under any political pressures from Umno to be big hearted or it was just his own lack of courage to face up to Umno.

The nation and political parties were shocked to hear of the violent incident.

DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang had immediately announced that DAP lawyers namely myself, Gobind Singh and Sivanesan were prepared to offer free legal services to Kamalanathan to seek justice.

On Jan 16, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin had also said that he could not condone the act, adding that whatever reason or pressure faced by the Umno Youth member concerned; there was no justification for such an aggressive act.

5 days ago, MCA Youth’s legal bureau stepped in and expressed its readiness to help the Attorney General’s Chambers to prosecute Muhammad Ridzuan Suhaimi.

So can Kamalanathan explain why he has chosen to be big hearted when he ought not to?

In view of the fact that Selangor police chief Senior Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Shukri Dahlan had said that the investigation papers on the attack incident were submitted to the A-G’s Chambers on January 15, the Attorney General Tan Sri Ghani Patail must explain why no action has been taken till today.

I also call on MIC President Datuk Palanivel to publicly declare if he has agreed with Kamalanathan’s decision to forgive and if not, is MIC prepared to seek justice for him.