S. P. Seenivasagam

Sri Padhmaraja Seenivasagam (1918–4 July 1975), also known by his initials SP, was a three-term MP in Malaysia who served as leader of the People's Progressive Party.

Along with his brother Dharma Raja (DR), SP Seenivasagam was known as a formidable lawyer and parliamentarian in the formative years of Malaya after independence.

He led the PPP to a sweeping win in the Ipoh municipal council elections in 1962, becoming the council's president. At this time the PPP held sway in Ipoh, while the Socialist Front was dominant in George Town and Malacca. However the federal government led by Umno then banned local council elections.

Following the May 13 racial riots and the death of his brother in 1969, SP made the decision to bring PPP into the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition. He lost his parliamentary and state seats in 1974 when he contested under the BN banner. He was then appointed to the Dewan Negara in 1975 but died three months later.

Early life

SP Seenivasagam was born in Ipoh in 1918 and attended the Anderson School. He studied law at the Middle Temple, London, before the outbreak of the second World War. After the war he began his career as advocate and solicitor in 1949, working at the family firm S Seenivasagam & Sons.

The 1969 racial riots paralysed the nation and Parliament was suspended for 17 months. This eventually led SP to make the decision to bring the PPP into the newly formed Barisan Nasional coalition.

Legal cases

In 1952, Seenivasagam defended a young Chinese girl named Lee Meng who was arrested for alleged militant communist activities during the Emergency.

Lee was captured by the British Malayan police force in Ipoh in July 1952 and tried for having a hand grenade in her possession. She was sentenced to death for her responsibility in issuing orders for several murders, but the case brought the brothers significant attention.

In 1971 he represented DAP's then Kampar MP Fan Yew Teng in a sedition appeal over a conviction for publishing an offensive article by then Penang DAP chairman Dr Ooi Kee Siak in the party’s newsletter The Rocket. SP successfully argued the appeal for Fan on the grounds of technicality and a retrial was ordered. Ironically it was Fan who challenged and defeated SP for his Menglembu seat in the 1974 elections.

Election results + Parliament of the Federation of Malaya YearConstituencyCandidateVotesPctOpponent(s)VotesPctBallots castMajorityTurnout1959P051 MenglembuS. P. Seenivasagam (PPP)14,33865.43%Wong Kok Weng (MCA)6,29228.7122,0448,04665.59%Idham Khatib (PRM)1,2835.85%

+ Parliament of MalaysiaYearConstituencyCandidateVotesPctOpponent(s)VotesPctBallots castMajorityTurnout1964P051 MenglembuS. P. Seenivasagam (PPP)20,36758.08%Lim Eng Chang (MCA)11,24632.07%36,1879,12178.68%Yunos Mohd Isa (PRM)3,4579.86%1969S. P. Seenivasagam (PPP)29,08981.01%Hew Chai Kee (MCA)6,81818.99%37,29822,271 71.85%1974P055 MenglembuS. P. Seenivasagam (PPP)11,75732.66%Fan Yew Teng (DAP)22,50562.53%36,99710,74875.45%Koo Eng Kuang (IND)1,7314.81%

+ Perak State Legislative AssemblyYearConstituencyCandidateVotesPctOpponent(s)VotesPctBallots castMajorityTurnout1959N26 Kuala PariS. P. Seenivasagam (PPP)7,18761.91%Chong Hong Chew (MCA)4,42238.09%11,7372,76567.84%1964S. P. Seenivasagam (PPP)11,30569.16%Choy Kok Kuan (MCA)5,04030.84%17,1786,26577.58%1969S. P. Seenivasagam (PPP)14,23182.75%Ang Liang Sim (MCA)2,96617.25%18,02911,26570.18%1974N24 Kuala PariS. P. Seenivasagam (PPP)5,81935.62%Lim Nyit Sin (DAP)10,51964.38%17,6594,70077.35%

Honours Seenivasagam was awarded Paduka Mahkota Perak of the Order of the Perak State Crown in 1963 from Sultan Idris of Perak. In 1965 he was awarded the Dato Paduka Mahkota Perak, and in 1972 the Sultan elevated him to the title of Datuk Seri.

Death

On July 4, 1975, he died of heart failure at his official residence. He was survived by his wife Puan Seri Danapakia Devi, who died in 2006.

Today, a road formerly known as Clayton Road, near Saint Michael’s Institution in Ipoh, has been renamed Jalan SP Seenivasagam in his honour.