Saravanan Murugan

Saravanan Murugan (Tamil: சரவணன் முருகன்; born 4 February 1968) commonly referred to as M. Saravanan (Tamil: எம். சரவணன்) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tapah since March 2008.

He served as the Minister of Human Resources in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob from August 2021 to November 2022, and in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration under prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin from March 2020 to August 2021. He also served as Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports from May 2013 to May 2013 and Deputy Minister of Federal Territories from March 2008 to April 2009.

He is a member and Deputy President of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), a component party of the BN coalition. From March 2020 to November 2022, he was the sole minister of the Indian ethnicity and from MIC, and the sole MIC candidate elected in the 2022 general election.

Biography

Within the MIC, Saravanan was seen as an ally of its then-president Samy Vellu, being elected as a Vice President of the MIC on Vellu's ticket^[2] and defending Vellu from opposition attacks.^[3] However he lost in the party re-election close fight for the position of Deputy President in 2015 to another MIC Vice President, S. K. Devamany.^[4][5][6]

In the 2008 election, Saravanan contested for a Parliament seat for Tapah^[7] and won against a candidate from People's Justice Party (PKR). Under the Barisan Nasional coalition and then-Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Saravanan was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Federal Territories^[8] and Urban Wellbeing from 2008 until 2013.

In the 2013 election, Saravanan also won a seat in the Parliament and was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports from 2013 until 2018. From 2020 to 2022, Saravanan served as the Minister of Human Resource under prime ministers Muhyiddin Yassin and later Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

In 2024, Saravanan retained his post as MIC deputy president for the 2024–2027 term after he was returned unopposed ^[9]

Election results

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

• Malaysia
  • Member of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (AMN) (1998)^[14]
  • Recipient of the General Service Medal (PPA)
  • Recipient of the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Installation Medal
• Federal Territory (Malaysia)
  • Grand Commander of the Order of the Territorial Crown (SMW) – Datuk Seri (2018)^[15][16]
  • Commander of the Order of the Territorial Crown (PMW) – Datuk (2014)^[17][18]
• Malacca
  • Companion Class I of the Exalted Order of Malacca (DMSM) – Datuk (2007)^[19][20]

References

1. ^ "Court Allows Saravanan To Strike Out Former Business Partner's Application". Bernama. 13 April 2010. Archived 29 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
2. ^ "Vote for the President's Men, Says Samy Vellu". Bernama. 10 September 2009. Archived 16 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
3. ^ Retna, S. (27 December 2008). "Saravanan Slams Karpal, Defends Samy Vellu". Bernama. Archived 4 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
4. ^ "Saravanan loses race for MIC No 2". Malaysiakini. 6 November 2015. Archived 5 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
5. ^ KHOO, SIMON (6 November 2015). "Devamany is new MIC deputy president". The Star (Malaysia). Archived 8 November 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
6. ^ "Devamany beats Saravanan in race for MIC deputy president". The Malay Mail. 6 November 2015. Archived 19 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
7. ^ "Four-way fight for Tapah parliamentary seat". The Malaysian Times. 20 April 2013. Archived 7 June 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
8. ^ "Deputy minister told to shut up | The Star". The Star. Archived 7 June 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
9. ^ "Saravanan retains MIC deputy president's post for second term unopposed". 22 June 2024.
10. ^ "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri". Election Commission of Malaysia. Archived 6 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 11 July 2010. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
11. ^ "Malaysia General Election". undiinfo Malaysian Election Data. Malaysiakini. Archived 1 December 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 4 February 2017. Results available from the 2004 election.
12. ^ "Malaysia Decides 2008". The Star (Malaysia). Archived 11 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 6 January 2010..
13. ^ "2013 Malaysia General Election NEGERI PERAK P72 Tapah". Election Commission of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2013. Results available for the 2013 election.
14. ^ "Senarai Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1998". www.istiadat.gov.my
15. ^ "Senarai Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Wilayah Persekutuan Tahun 2018". www.jwp.gov.my
16. ^ Irwan Shafrizan Ismail (1 February 2018). "370 dapat pingat sempena Hari Wilayah" (in Malay). Berita Harian. Archived 12 October 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
17. ^ "Senarai Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Wilayah Persekutuan Tahun 2014". www.jwp.gov.my
18. ^ L. Suganya (1 February 2014). "Some 320 individuals awarded in conjunction with Federal Territories Day". The Star. Archived 31 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
19. ^ "Pengurniaan Darjah Kebesaran Bergelar Bagi Tahun 2007 Mengikut Negeri.". Prime Minister's Department (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 3 September 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
20. ^ "Najib heads Malacca awards". The Star. 13 October 2007. Archived 24 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 25 September 2018.