MIC’s former Hulu Selangor MP P Kalamanathan was recently named as the new LPA chairman, replacing Chan, the Kota Kinabalu MP, whose tenure was ended after Perikatan Nasional assumed power from Pakatan Harapan.

The Sabah DAP secretary said he had no issue with Kamalanathan’s appointment, adding he wished him the best in continuing to develop Labuan port, especially the new Rancha-rancha port.

“I only wonder what those who objected against my appointment before, like Umno, PAS and Labuan MCA, by claiming that only locals should be appointed to head the body, have to say now,” he told FMT.

“Those who criticised my appointment before not only accepted the new appointment but they themselves have been appointed to sit on the board. Isn’t it hypocritical?”

Kamalanathan, a member of the MIC central working committee, is the third LPA chairman after its establishment in 2017. Before Chan, MCA’s Wee Jeck Seng was the chairman.

Kamalanathan was the deputy education minister during Barisan Nasional’s reign.

Last year, Labuan PAS chief Hamir Zahir was unhappy with Chan’s appointment as LPA chairman, saying he lacked the background and the experience in port management to do the job. Hamir asked why an outsider was named to head the entity.

The party had also questioned Wee’s appointment previously on similar grounds. Chan had served for 13 months as the chairman before his services were terminated.

The transport ministry had set up the LPA to improve operations and upgrade the port on the financial offshore island.

Chan said among his achievements as the chairman was in the calling for a Request For Proposal to appoint the current Liberty Wharf management company.

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