This follows reports that three students sponsored under a programme by the Socioeconomic Development of Indian Community (Sedic) had not received the full amount of allowances promised to them while attending their course at Bayu College.
The matter was taken up by the Kapar MP. However, Bayu College accused the MP of deliberately ignoring its side of the story and jumping to conclusions.
The accusations were made last Friday when Bayu College said it had attempted to call Manivannan 40 times.
It claimed he had responded to a text message they sent by saying: “I’m an MP, you don’t even know how to respect me, and now you say I’m not ethical? It’s okay, you can go to whoever can help you and I will do things my way.”
Speaking to FMT, Manivannan said the accusations could easily be proven by print-screening the number of phone calls made and the text message the college claims he sent.
“If they fail to produce evidence to their claims, then I will take legal action against them.
“I will not be taking legal action against FMT because the news portal is only reporting what the college said and has taken due course to get my side of the story as well,” he said.
On why he refused to see the college, Manivannan claimed there were several incidents which led him to make that decision.
He said it all started with an SMS (short message service) message from the college asking for the MP’s resignation.
“On June 14, I received several phone calls, SMS and WhatsApp messages from Bayu College CEO Loganathan Rajagopal.
“I did not have time to take the calls because I was tied up with two different meetings in Negeri Sembilan.
“However, I responded to the SMS where Loganathan asked that I set up a meeting with the college. This SMS was sent at 11.19pm and the same message was sent to my WhatsApp at 11.33pm.
“At 11.45pm, Loganathan sent a WhatsApp message to me where he made an unfair and outrageous claim and challenged me to resign as MP.”
Manivannan said he then responded to Bayu College, declining to meet with them. The college then sent several text messages, one of which was an apology.
“I accepted the apology and asked my officer to write a formal letter to set up a meeting with the college. It seemed, however, that the college was impatient.”
He said on June 15, he was told of a woman in Tanjung Malim who had family troubles and wanted to see him as soon as possible. He agreed to meet her, and an appointment was set up with two individuals.
The next day, he said, two people claiming to be from Tanjung Malim turned up for the appointment. Although the individuals were two men instead of a man and a woman as stated in the appointment, his secretary let them in.
“My secretary opened the door to two people who claimed to be from Tanjung Malim. When she did, nine more people rushed into the office and five of them were wearing Bayu College name tags.
“I was not around as I was attending a Selangor government programme in Klang, but my secretary informed me of the situation.
“I messaged Bayu College telling them not to resort to such methods to meet me and to do things formally.”
Manivannan said his secretary had informed him that while the individuals from Bayu College – led by Loganathan – were there, they had raised their voices and made rude comments, trying to provoke the secretary.
“When they left my office, they screamed profanities, insults and threats.
“My secretary made a police report regarding the matter last Saturday at the Meru police station.
“These are the reasons I am refusing to see the college.”
Yesterday, Bayu College accused three of its former students of telling lies and deliberately defaming the college.
Its CEO Loganathan said all the students had received prior notice of an optional dual programme in which the students could enrol for RM200 a month. He said this fee was to be deducted from the RM400 monthly allowance if they agreed.
“We did not force any of the students to sign their names on the (consent) form but many had chosen to, including the three students who are now making up the lies.”
Loganathan questioned why the three students had thought the additional course was for free when other classmates who had enrolled for the course knew that they had to pay for it.
He added that the students had not directed any grouses they had to a Sedic officer who came to audit the college in March.
College fails to pay RM400 monthly allowance to poor students