DAP senator denies holding ‘office of profit’ after Urimai claim

August 2, 2024

DAP senator denies holding ‘office of profit’ after Urimai claim

GEORGE TOWN: Urimai has urged the Dewan Negara to drop a senator for purportedly holding an “office of profit”, even as the DAP man asserts that he no longer holds any post in the civil service.

Urimai secretary-general M Satees said he had written to the Senate president asking that Dr RA Lingeshwaran be disqualified as a senator for being a doctor registered as practising under the health ministry.

“According to the Malaysian Medical Council’s doctors’ register, he is still a doctor under the health ministry.

“An annual practising certificate (APC) was issued for him to work at any health ministry facility in 2024,” he said at a press conference.

Under the Federal Constitution, a member of Parliament, whether in the Dewan Rakyat or Dewan Negara, is not allowed to hold an “office of profit”. This covers “any whole time office in any of the public services”, according to the constitution.

DISYORKAN UNTUK ANDA :

Tuntutan LHDN Adalah Kezaliman Berganda Ke Atas DS Najib

In an immediate response, Lingeshwaran said he had left the civil service as Sungai Bakap Hospital director on March 15, 2023, and that the Senate had been informed of this.

Lingeshwaran also said his application for APC renewal was submitted in 2023, before he left his post in the civil service, and that it was common practice for the certificate to be renewed a year in advance.

“There’s no need to waste time. The Dewan Negara president is aware of my clarification and has also replied to Urimai about this,” he told FMT.

“I was no longer practising the moment I resigned.”

Lingeshwaran, who is serving his first term as a senator, took his oath of office in March 2023 and will remain in the post until March 2026.

He was nominated by the Penang state assembly.