KUALA LUMPUR – The People’s Progressive Party (myPPP) suffered a major setback after its president, Datuk Seri Maglin Dennis D’Cruz, died suddenly at midnight.
D’Cruz’s death was confirmed by the party’s Johor chapter in a Facebook post this morning.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Maglin.
“He was a remarkable leader, and his legacy will continue to inspire us all. May his soul rest in peace,” the post stated.
It is learnt that D’Cruz was admitted to the Klang Hospital last night, after complaining of severe chest pains, before passing away at the hospital after midnight.
D’Cruz, a former senator, had previously served in the Barisan Nasional-led administration as deputy minister of information, communications, and culture between 2010 and 2012.
He had recently won the party presidency unopposed in March following the party’s annual general meeting.
The 67-year-old had been involved in an ongoing tussle with former myPPP president Tan Sri M. Kayveas since 2018 over the leadership of the party.
The tussle resulted in myPPP being deregistered by the Registrar of Societies in 2019, and its current status is yet to be resolved due to an ongoing dispute over the party’s assets, which was recently resolved in Federal Court.
However, the Home Ministry approved myPPP’s appeal against its deregistration and confirmed D’Cruz as its elected partypresident, this year.
In June 2019, the party’s supreme council members initiated a civil suit to recover the party’s building and the shares in Bintang Iradat.
In March last year, the high court here ordered the disputed building, Wisma Tan Sri Kayveas, also known as Wisma myPPP, to be surrendered to the Insolvency director-general (DGI).
Judicial commissioner Ong Chee Kwan made the ruling in a suit by 12 myPPP members against former president Kayveas for allegedly transferring building ownership without consent.
He also ordered Kayveas, Datuk Chandrakumanan, and Datuk Roger Ly to return Wisma myPPP and the shares in Bintang Iradat.
The DGI, in the meantime, was appointed to administer myPPP’s assets following its deregistration on January 14, 2019.
On October 31, the Federal Court unanimously dismissed Tan Sri Kayveas’ application for leave to appeal with costs of RM30,000. – November 17, 2023