KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12 — Born into a family of politicians dating back to pre-Independence, Sungai Buloh MP Datuk R. Ramanan is set to continue his grandmother’s legacy following his appointment as Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Deputy Minister.
The 42-year-old is the eldest grandson of the ‘Grand Dame of Malaysian Indian politics’, Tan Sri Devaki Krishnan, the first woman to hold public office in pre-independence Malaya when she was elected to the-then Bangsar Municipal Council in 1952.
The Kuala Lumpur native, who is also a champion for the involvement of women in the Malaysian political system, became active in politics after joining MIC in the middle of 2000.
He made his electoral debut in the 15th general election last year under the Pakatan Harapan ticket and created a major upset by defeating Barisan Nasional candidate Khairy Jamaluddin to capture the Sungai Buloh seat in a seven-cornered contest.
The Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) Special Committee chairman replaced Saraswathy Kandasami as deputy minister in the Cabinet reshuffle announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today.
Ramanan secured 50,943 votes to win the ‘hot seat’ with a 2,693-vote majority, thus handing the then-health minister his first defeat in general elections since 2008.
He held several positions in MIC, including Bukit Bintang division chief, Discipline Committee deputy chairman, Strategic Planning Bureau deputy chief, and Central Working Committee (CWC) member for two terms before being appointed treasurer-general on December 16, 2013.
Ramanan stepped down as MIC treasurer-general and resigned from the party in 2014.
He joined PKR after the Sheraton Move in February 2020 and served as a member of the Central Leadership Council (MPP), the party’s deputy strategic director and now Deputy Information Chief I.
— Bernama
