K. Pathmanaban
Encyclopedia
Datuk Roto K. Pathmanaban is a former Malaysian deputy minister, vice-president of Malaysian Indian Congress and founder of Melaka Manipal Medical College
.
, Negeri Sembilan
, he obtained his Master of Arts in Public Administration in Economic Development from Harvard University
.
He was among the first batch of Bachelor of Arts graduates majoring in Economics from the University of Malaya
in Singapore
in 1959. Before venturing into politics, he served as Assistant Secretary of the Labour and Manpower Ministry from 1960 and Director of Social Economics in the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) in the Prime Minister's Department from 1968 until his resignation to contest the Teluk Kemang parliamentary seat in 1974.
, as part of his process of infusing new blood into the party, especially those who are young, well-educated and could contribute to the party.
He served as Teluk Kemang Member of Parliament
for four terms. Prior to that, he joined the Malaysian Indian Congress in 1974 and the following year was a member of the MIC Central Working Committee. Pathmanaban served as MIC vice president for three terms from 1979 until his retirement from active politics in 1991.
Pathmanaban actively fought for the rights of Malaysian Indians, especially in the field of education. He realised the importance education could bring about in uplifting the Indian community.
He headed the MIC's Education Bureau and used to collect information on all students rejected by government universities. Pathmanaban used to lead MIC delegations to visit every vice-chancellor to give more places to Malaysian Indian students who had just missed the cut-off point. In fact, the Malaysian Chinese Association
used to be jealous of the MIC in having this special privilege.
The former MIC vice president was Deputy Labour and Manpower Minister for five years from 1976. Pathmanaban was Deputy Health Minister for seven years from 1981. He last served in the government as Deputy Human Resources Minister from June 1989 to October 1990.
His retirement from politics was apparently due to differences with MIC president, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu
.
He also served as a member of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam)
following the setting up of the commission until his demise.
Pathmanaban was the founding chairman of Melaka Manipal Medical College
. He was instrumental in getting both the Prime Ministers and governments of Malaysia and India
to give their nod for his pet project which offers a twinning medical programme between both countries. His main purpose of setting up the medical college was to provide high quality medical education opportunities to Malaysians at an affordable price, particularly for Malaysians of Indian ethnicity.
at around 1am on June 9, 2001. He was just one day short of his 64th birthday.
His remains were cremated at the Hindu crematorium in Cheras and the ashes were taken to Port Dickson
to be scattered in the sea according to Hindu
rites.
Melaka Manipal Medical College
Melaka Manipal Medical College is a Malaysian private medical college which offers 2 twinning undergraduate degrees, the Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery degree and also the Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree...
.
Early life
Born in Bukit Bertam Estate, LinggiLinggi
Linggi is a small town in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia....
, Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan, one of the 13 states that constitutes Malaysia, lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur and borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the south....
, he obtained his Master of Arts in Public Administration in Economic Development from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
He was among the first batch of Bachelor of Arts graduates majoring in Economics from the University of Malaya
University of Malaya
The University of Malaya is located on a campus near the centre of Kuala Lumpur, and is the oldest university in Malaysia. It was founded in 1905 as a public-funded tertiary institution...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
in 1959. Before venturing into politics, he served as Assistant Secretary of the Labour and Manpower Ministry from 1960 and Director of Social Economics in the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) in the Prime Minister's Department from 1968 until his resignation to contest the Teluk Kemang parliamentary seat in 1974.
Political career
Pathmanaban was initially encouraged to join the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) and enter politics by Tun Abdul Razak, who saw his potential and his education from a prestigious university as invaluable. He was inducted by the then president of MIC, Tan Sri V. ManickavasagamV. Manickavasagam
Tan Sri Dato' Seri V. Manickavasagam is the sixth president of the Malaysian Indian Congress from 1973–1978. He was also the former Minister for Communication in the Malaysian cabinet.-President of MIC:...
, as part of his process of infusing new blood into the party, especially those who are young, well-educated and could contribute to the party.
He served as Teluk Kemang Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for four terms. Prior to that, he joined the Malaysian Indian Congress in 1974 and the following year was a member of the MIC Central Working Committee. Pathmanaban served as MIC vice president for three terms from 1979 until his retirement from active politics in 1991.
Pathmanaban actively fought for the rights of Malaysian Indians, especially in the field of education. He realised the importance education could bring about in uplifting the Indian community.
He headed the MIC's Education Bureau and used to collect information on all students rejected by government universities. Pathmanaban used to lead MIC delegations to visit every vice-chancellor to give more places to Malaysian Indian students who had just missed the cut-off point. In fact, the Malaysian Chinese Association
Malaysian Chinese Association
Malaysian Chinese Association is a uni-racial political party in Malaysia that represents the Malaysian Chinese ethnicity; it is one of the three major component parties of the ruling coalition in Malaysia called the Barisan Nasional in Malay, or National Front in English.Along with the largest...
used to be jealous of the MIC in having this special privilege.
The former MIC vice president was Deputy Labour and Manpower Minister for five years from 1976. Pathmanaban was Deputy Health Minister for seven years from 1981. He last served in the government as Deputy Human Resources Minister from June 1989 to October 1990.
His retirement from politics was apparently due to differences with MIC president, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu
Samy Vellu
Dato' Seri Samy Vellu Sangalimuthu is an Indian Malaysian politician. He is the longest serving President of the Malaysian Indian Congress , a component party of the Barisan Nasional coalition, holding the position since 1979, for 11 consecutive terms...
.
Social Service
Following his retirement, Pathmanaban was active in social service. He felt there was nothing greater than helping a fellow man. He actively sought ways to help the poor and disadvantaged Indian community in Malaysia.He also served as a member of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam)
Human Rights Commission of Malaysia
The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia better known locally as Suhakam is a national human rights institution in Malaysia. It was established by the Malaysian Parliament using the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Act 1999, Act 597, with a mandate to promote human rights education, advise on...
following the setting up of the commission until his demise.
Pathmanaban was the founding chairman of Melaka Manipal Medical College
Melaka Manipal Medical College
Melaka Manipal Medical College is a Malaysian private medical college which offers 2 twinning undergraduate degrees, the Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery degree and also the Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree...
. He was instrumental in getting both the Prime Ministers and governments of Malaysia and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to give their nod for his pet project which offers a twinning medical programme between both countries. His main purpose of setting up the medical college was to provide high quality medical education opportunities to Malaysians at an affordable price, particularly for Malaysians of Indian ethnicity.
Demise
Datuk K. Pathmanaban died due to kidney and liver failure at the Pantai Medical Centre in Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
at around 1am on June 9, 2001. He was just one day short of his 64th birthday.
His remains were cremated at the Hindu crematorium in Cheras and the ashes were taken to Port Dickson
Port Dickson
Port Dickson or PD to locals is a beach and holiday destination situated about 32 km from Seremban and 90 km from Kuala Lumpur. It is located in the state of Negeri Sembilan in Peninsular Malaysia...
to be scattered in the sea according to Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
rites.