Xavier Jayakumar Arulanandam

Xavier Jayakumar s/o Arulanandam (Tamil: சேவியர் ஜெயக்குமார், romanized: Cēviyar Jeyakkumār; born 1953) is a Malaysian politician and dentist who served as Minister of Water, Land and Natural Resources in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration under former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad from July 2018 to the collapse of the PH administration in February 2020, Member of Parliament (MP) for Kuala Langat from May 2018 to November 2022, Member of the Selangor State Executive Council (EXCO) in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state administration under former Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim from March 2008 to May 2013 and Member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Seri Andalas from March 2008 to May 2018. He is a member of the Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM). He was a member of the People's Justice Party (PKR), a component party of the PH coalition. He also served as the Vice President of PKR from November 2018 to his resignation from the party in March 2021.[2]

In this Indian name, the name Arulanandam is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Xavier Jayakumar. The abbreviation "s/o" or "d/o", if used, means "son of" or "daughter of" respectively.
Yang Berbahagia Dato'
Xavier Jayakumar Arulanandam
DJMK
சேவியர் ஜெயக்குமார்
Minister of Water, Land and Natural Resources
In office
2 July 2018 – 24 February 2020
MonarchsMuhammad V
(2018–2019)
Abdullah
(2019–2020)
Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad
DeputyTengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji
Preceded byMaximus Ongkili
(Water)
Wan Junaidi
(Natural Resources)
Succeeded byShamsul Anuar Nasarah
(Minister of Energy and Natural Resources)
Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man
(Minister of Environment and Water)
ConstituencyKuala Langat
Member of the
Selangor State Executive Council
(Health, Plantation Workers, Poverty and Friendly Government)
In office
25 March 2008 – 29 May 2013
MonarchSharafuddin
Menteri BesarAbdul Khalid Ibrahim
Preceded byLim Thuang Seng
(Health)
Kamala Ganapathy
(Plantation Workers)
Abd Rahman Palil
(Friendly Government)
Succeeded byDaroyah Alwi
(Health)
Ganabatirau Veraman
(Plantation Workers, Poverty and Friendly Government)
ConstituencySeri Andalas
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Kuala Langat
In office
9 May 2018 – 19 November 2022
Preceded byAbdullah Sani Abdul Hamid
(PR–PKR)
Succeeded byAhmad Yunus Hairi
(PN–PAS)
Majority17,112 (2018)
Member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly
for Seri Andalas
In office
8 March 2008 – 9 May 2018
Preceded byKamalam Annasamy
(BN–MIC)
Succeeded byShuhaimi Shafiei
(PH–PKR)
Majority10,203 (2008)
15,633 (2013)
Personal details
Born
Xavier Jayakumar s/o Arulanandam

1953 (age 69–70)
Ipoh, Perak, Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia)
Political partyPeople's Justice Party (PKR)
(1998–2021)
Independent
(2021–2022)
Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM)
(since 2022)
Other political
affiliations		Barisan Alternatif (BA)
(1998–2004)
Pakatan Rakyat (PR)
(2008–2015)
Pakatan Harapan (PH)
(2015–2021)
Residence(s)Taman Sri Andalas, Klang, Selangor
Alma materManipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal
OccupationDentist[1]

Political career

Minister of Land, Water and Natural Resources

He had proposed to amend the National Land Code passed in 2014 which allows the ownership of land to foreign citizens and companies through Section 433B with the approval of the state government.

On 1 May 2019, Xavier gave himself a rating of seven to eight out of 10 for his performance as the Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister in the Pakatan Harapan government, after being in the position for about a year.[3]

On 17 February 2021, a person he described as a fellow party member and "close family friend" was arrested with two others by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in relation to a contract awarded in 2019 under the jurisdiction of his ministry.[4]

People's Justice Party and defection

He was the Vice President of PKR. In the 2018 Malaysian general election, he was appointed as the Pakatan Harapan Election Director for the Selangor state.

On 13 March 2021, he suddenly announced that he resigned as both a member and as a party vice-president, citing that he was "extremely frustrated" by the events of the past year. Subsequently, he would become an Independent MP while declaring his full support to Perikatan Nasional's leadership.[5]

On the same day, PKR Member of Parliament Sivarasa Rasiah claimed that Xavier defected due to pressure arising from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's investigation into a contract awarded in 2019 to several people including Xavier's "close family friend" during his tenure as minister.[6]

Elections

He contested in the 2004 Malaysian general election in the Ampang which saw him lose to Barisan Nasional candidate, Rozaidah Talib.

After losing to grab the Parliamentary seat, he has contested in the Selangor State Assembly seat, Seri Andalas. Fate has sided with him and won the seat in the 2008 Malaysian general election. After winning, he was appointed as a Member of the Selangor State Executive Council.

In the 2013 Malaysian general election, he managed to defend the Seri Andalas seat in a 5-cornered contest.

Election results
Parliament of Malaysia[7][8]
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
2004 P099 Ampang, Selangor Xavier Jayakumar (PKR) 13,482 28.87% Rozaidah Talib (UMNO) 33,214 71.13% 47,479 19,732 71.26%
2018 P112 Kuala Langat, Selangor Xavier Jayakumar (PKR) 43,239 49.08% Shahril Sufian Hamdan (UMNO) 26,127 29.66% 89,437 17,112 87.34%
Yahya Baba (PAS) 18,731 21.26%
Selangor State Legislative Assembly[9][10]
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
2008 N49 Seri Andalas Xavier Jayakumar (PKR) 20,258 66.83% Kamalam Annasamy (MIC) 10,055 33.17% 31,039 10,203 79.93%
2013 Xavier Jayakumar (PKR) 31,491 64.43% Mohan Thangarasu (MIC) 15,858 32.45% 49,552 15,633 87.30%
Hanafiah Husin (IND) 871 1.78%
Uthayakumar Ponnusamy (IND) 614 1.26%
Kottappan Suppaiah (IND) 41 0.08%

Honours

Honour of Malaysia

References
  1. "A New Committee for the Indian Community!" - YB Dr. Xavier". astroulagam.com.my. Astro (television). 11 June 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  2. "Meet Malaysia's new Cabinet of 26 ministers, 23 deputy ministers". 2 July 2018. Archived from the original on 10 July 2018.
  3. Ida Nadirah Ibrahim (1 May 2019). "Water, land and resources minister rates himself 7/10 in Pakatan's first-year report card". The Malay Mail. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  4. Rajvinder Singh (18 February 2021). "MACC arrest Perak PKR deputy chairman and two company directors". theSun. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  5. Wani Muthiah (13 March 2021). "Kuala Langat MP Xavier Jayakumar leaves PKR". The Star. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  6. R. Loheswar (13 March 2021). "Sivarasa: PKR's Dr Xavier wouldn't have resigned if not for MACC probe targeted at him". Malay Mail. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  7. "Dashboard PRU14". pru14.spr.gov.my. Archived from the original on 9 May 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  8. "Penamaan Calon: Keputusan Pilihan Raya". Archived from the original on 1 April 2004.
  9. "Dashboard PRU13". 23 April 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  10. "KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM KE-12". 6 September 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  11. "Ketua Audit Negara dahului senarai 623 penerima kehormatan Kelantan" (in Malay). Bernama. 11 November 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
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