The woman who masterminded Samy’s defeat

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kumar and rani

Kumar and Rani in Penang fresh after their triumph in Sg Siput

While everyone knows Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj as the guy who finally toppled Samy Vellu in his Sg Siput bastion, few are aware that his victory owes a lot to his wife and campaign manager, Rani Rasiah, a PSM central committee member, who played an instrumental role in the campaign. Of course, they couldn’t have done it without the help of a multi-ethnic team of dedicated volunteers from all around the country. A tale of sheer grit and perseverance.

It was an amazing campaign. Rani revealed that none of the volunteers who helped out in their campaign – many of them from grassroots communities – was paid a sen. It was entirely a people’s effort. In fact, their regular ceramah in Sg Siput did not feature any big names. Rather, it was the ordinary people – farmers, urban pioneers, estate workers – who took to the stage to share their experience and urge the crowds to vote for change!

The campaign was also boosted by a strong DAP candidate standing in one of the state seats and by Pas workers who did their bit by putting up posters and flags in kampongs.

Kumar told me he discovered that his new position as MP for Sungai Siput carries with it certain powers and influence over local authorities, which he hopes to use to uplift some of the diverse communities in the area.

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thyaga
thyaga
19 May 2008 10.53pm

Well done Dr,All this while i was under impression that you are a mere Medical Dr,But after reading your interview in SUN newspaper,i truly understand that you are a true,genuine and hopefull leader to uplift status of indian community in this country.Please contact me if you need any form of help to save our community.Anyway thanks alot for your wife and you for throwing Monster to the drain.
Well done!!

Peter
Peter
25 May 2008 5.56pm

Make sure that “Indian Napoleon” will not able to gain any influence in Sungai Siput anymore. We are all sick of him and his loud mouth! Put him to eternal abyss away from the people of Sungai Siput.

selvaraja somiah
selvaraja somiah
19 Mar 2008 4.19pm

Well done Doc Kumar! You make me proud to have had known you during the Sunday School days in the Tamil Methodist Church at Kebun Nyor. Keep it up and continue with your noble and lofty deeds and struggle for the down throden proletariats. Your voice will be power to alot of us the powerless. Years ago, when our Late MGG Pillai came for a visit to Penang, he spoke tons of nice things about you and how you even asked your daughter not to play the piano anymore as you considered that a luxtury you can live without. MGG… Read more »

suraj
suraj
19 Mar 2008 5.31pm

Its a great pleasure to see Dr. Jeya Kumar win against the (man who let down the) community. I have had the plesure working with Dr. Kumar during his time in the goverment service and have knowlege of the troubles he had to go through for trying to help the poor and marginalised lot, including the Penans . He is indeed the perfect choice. My hearty wishes to the hausnband and wife team. Well Done. God bless you.

lakshmi
lakshmi
19 Mar 2008 5.27pm

Congradulations on winning the sungei siput seat. Somehow this time I felt that you would make it. Keep the good work going. Let all Malaysians feel proud to be Bangsa Malaysia

lucia
lucia
19 Mar 2008 5.15pm

at every election, i always prayed hard that samy will lose and come this 12th election, my prayer was answered. i had met dr jeya last year when our church group visited one of the plantation workers housing estate which is under dr jeya’s watch/help. apart from listening to the grouses of the plantation workers, also get to hear others like the urban pioners, single mothers, orang asli. all of them were helped so much by dr jeya. all of them had so high admiration of dr jeya. thus i can understand if his ceramah had those ordinary people as… Read more »

nick chan
nick chan
19 Mar 2008 5.01pm

Dr Xavier u rock !

hey who that using “E-diot” word. that’s my domain name la

zorro
19 Mar 2008 4.50pm

Sam(son) locks got shorn by Rani Delilah…..syabas Rani.

Malay Women in Malaysia
19 Mar 2008 4.44pm

Send my regards to the victorious husband & wife team. Please tell them that they have done great service to the nation. We are all indebted to them! 🙂

Oppressed tolled road user
Oppressed tolled road user
19 Mar 2008 4.20pm

Thank you for toppling Samy Vellu. I have been hoping for many many years for this to happen and I used to swear why Sg Siput folks still want such an “E-DIOT” as MP. I am deliriously happy that Dr Jeyakumar did it. THANK YOU (to Dr jeyakumar and Sg Siput folks) very much for getting rid of a … “E-DIOT” for the people.

raj raman
raj raman
19 Mar 2008 6.58pm

WELL DONE AND MY BEST WISHES FOR U AND FAMILY.NOT MANY PEOPLE WILLING TO SACRIFICE TIME TO BE THE GIANT KILLER.IF YOU PAY ME YOUR MP SALARY X 3 FOR ME,I WONT BE ABLE TO SACRIFICE MY TIME FOR OTHERS.THANK YOU DOCTOR.YOU ARE THE NOBLE FEW IN THIS COUNTRY.RAJ RAMAN.RACE.MALAYSIAN.RELIGION;MY OWN BUSINESS.DREAMING TO BE MALAYSIAN PUTRA

R.Venugopal
R.Venugopal
19 Mar 2008 6.19pm

Well done and keep the fire burning continuosly so that complacency does not creep in. It took years to achieve the support to topple mighty Samy Vellu in his den. Sleep with your eyes open because Samy Vellu is having sleepless night.

walski69
19 Mar 2008 7.48pm

This may sound off-topic (it’s really not), so do bear with me… One of the best ways to market new technology is by means of product evangelism – a user-experiential approach, in which the virtues of new technology are marketed to the mainstream by the users themselves… this is the approached introduced by Guy Kawasaki when the Macintosh was first unleashed into the IT market. It would appear that the pursuit of political sea-change works best in a similar way – through the evangelical down-to-earth marketing technique employed by Dr. Jayakumar and Rani. No need for lavish flash-bang type of… Read more »

susan loone
19 Mar 2008 9.39pm

wonderful!

with a woman like rani beside jeyakumar, the people of sungai siput will definitely be well taken care of.

i hae always prayed and wished for jeyakumar to take up office. he is shining example of what good MPs should be made of – humility, people-centred and hard work.

all the best to rani and kumar 🙂

galadriel
19 Mar 2008 9.24pm

Well done Dr Jeyakumar and a million thanx to your tireless campaign manager-cum-wife. Wish you guys the best of luck in your efforts to further champion the plight of your constituents!

If help is needed, just get in touch. We KL people have hearts and willing hands too!

caravanserai
caravanserai
19 Mar 2008 8.56pm

Success is sweet After many failures No one can beat that feeling Only God can Now the time to do it Make it known years to come The groundwork laid out years ago Finally it bears fruit A little plant finally grows In the heart of Sungai Siput I haven’t met Dr Jeyakumar What I read he must be a kind soul Helping the poor and disadvantaged I only wish other leaders can do For the people without any returns I pray he finds his work Now refreshing and ultimately satisfying The people of Sungai Siput You are bless with… Read more »

Amran Ahmed
Amran Ahmed
19 Mar 2008 8.11pm

Congratulations on the win. It has brought about much needed change, and played an important role in what is our country’s biggest step forward to a non pseudo-democracy. But please remember that the mastermind behind the defeat was none other than Samy himself… Whilst I have no doubt everyone involved in the campaign played an hugely important role which contributed to the eventual downfall of what is hopefully the last of the BN warlords. I believe no one will deny without external factors, many of which have been widely publicised, this would have not been possible. I for one, along… Read more »

bennymat7
bennymat7
20 Mar 2008 7.38am

Syabas on yr. Victory Dr. Kumar Malaysians have waited for a looooong time to get rid of Semi Value,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,well done ! A new Era is starting in Malaysia.
REFORMASI ! Hidup Rakyat !

Antares
20 Mar 2008 1.27am

Beautiful story of a beautiful pair. Infinite blessings upon them and all the good they have accomplished – and will continue accomplishing, on an even greater scale! 🙂

vera dr.
vera dr.
21 Mar 2008 1.14am

Dr. Jeya , Not many sacrifice themselves for the betterment
of the underprivelaged. You stood for what you believed in.
Although you unseated the shameless Samy, its your principles I admire and you have become a role model for the young.

John Koh
John Koh
20 Mar 2008 1.38pm

I think we should not be patting ourselves on the back just yet because perhaps for the fact that Dr. Jeyakumar has lost more than once to Samy previously shows that the reason he won this time is not merely due this effort/personality alone.

The wind was blowing strong and the rakyat just voted along that line. My opinion is that Samy did himself in rather than the other way around. But either way, this is definitely a good chance for Dr. Jeya to prove himself in Sg. Siput that their choice is a correct one.

jarod
21 Mar 2008 5.03pm

Good JOB and GOD BLESS you Richly tis time! Our family awaits this moment for such a long time. We dun really like the way SamI do things/….Keep it up! prove to the SS people u can do better than SAMI~

jude m
20 Mar 2008 10.08am

In the run up to the 1999 GE and the height of Reformasi, I remember going on a walkabout with you and your “entourage” to a few villages in Sg. Siput. It was evening and there was a drizzle. Later on, I experienced the warmth of your people manning the “bilik gerakan”. So much so, I remember writing an email entitled “Vote for Change, Vote for David” – alluding to the David v. Goliath story. While Goliath stayed in power that time, no thanks to the notorious postal votes, justice was served – some 9 years later – on 8/3/08.… Read more »

joehancl
joehancl
21 Mar 2008 12.18pm

When you feel the sufferings of the down trodden, the hurt of the wretched and the desperation of the poor, you will not be at peace until you help them. WHEN you can feel all these feelings you are one with them and the need to help arises naturally(by nature). And nature comes from God.

rogue
rogue
21 Mar 2008 11.38pm

It’s so refreshing to hear Dr. Jeya and Rani send the vile speaking MIC honcho into the sunset for good. Let’s hope this is the end for Samy. Keep up the good work Dr Jeya and Rani