The 64-year-old senator passed away in his sleep and his demise has been described by state BN leaders as a great loss to the party and local Indian community.
BUTTERWORTH: Penang MIC chairman Senator PK Subbaiyah, 64, passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Bagan Ajam here this morning.
Family sources said Subbaiyah’s wife, Valny, 60, realised her husband had died at about 4am when she tried to wake him up.
The funeral would be held tomorrow morning. Subbaiyah’s remains would be cremated according to Hindu rites at the Berapit cemetery.
Speaking to FMT, state MIC deputy chairman L Krishnan expressed shock over Subbaiyah’s demise.
He said it was a great loss to the party, Barisan Nasional and the Indian community.
“He was a friendly and good leader,” added Krishnan, who had dinner with Subbaiyah at Seberang Jaya assemblyman Arif Shah Omar Shah’s home last night.
State Gerakan chairman Dr Teng Hock Nan said the MIC leader’s death was unfortunate and unexpected.
“He is very hardworking and a rare leader from the Penang Indian community. We are going to miss him very much,” he said.
PPP state chairman Logabalan Mohan said he was shocked by Subbaiyah’s death as the MIC leader looked healthy and showed no signs of any illness.
He said he was working closely with Subbaiyah for the past few years to win back Indian votes for BN.
“He was a good friend and political leader. It’s a big loss to MIC, BN and the community,” he added.
‘Hard working and down-to-earth’
Subbaiyah was a one-term Bagan Dalam assemblyman and served as an executive councillor under the previous BN state government between 2004 and 2008.
A lawyer by profession, Subbaiyah won the Bagan Dalam state seat in a three-cornered fight against DAP’s Lim Hock Seng and PKR’s Abdul Hamid Razak. In 2008, he lost the seat in a straight fight to DAP’s A Tanasekharan.
Tanasekharan conveyed his condolences to Subbaiyah’s family for their unexpected loss.
“During his time in MIC, he had served the party and community well. He was a capable political leader. At 64, he can be considered still young in politics,” said the DAP assemblyman.
Bagan Umno division chairman Latiff Mirasa said Subbaiyah was a down-to-earth political leader with a grassroots touch.
He said Subbaiyah was working hard with others for the betterment of all Penangites, especially the Indian community.
“He was a religious man and a good friend. I hope people will remember and continue his hard work for the betterment of Indians and all Penang people,” he added.
Subbaiyah had been the Permatang Pauh MIC division chairman for the past 15 years and was appointed as state chairman after the last general election.
He was appointed as a senator last October and had been a MIC central working committee member for the past 12 years.
He served as Penang Hindu Endowment Board chairman during his time as state executive councillor. He was also the incumbent state BN vice-chairman.
