Dad: I didn't expect they'd try to kill Sanjeevan

As MyWatch chairperson R Seri Sanjeevan fights for his life in Serdang Hospital after an assassination attempt, those close to him are getting jittery about their own safety.

Fellow comrade S Gobi Krishnan, who is advisor of the anti-crime NGO, abruptly canceled his visit to the hospital yesterday due to security reasons.

It was not the case though for Sanjeevan's father P Ramakrishnan, 64, who appeared calm and composed.

"I'm an old man, my body parts have no value anymore," he told Malaysiakini at Serdang Hospital lobby last night.

Ramakrishnan appeared to have passed on this steely demeanour to his son, who had boldly gone up against the underworld in exposing their criminal activities and alleged links to the police.

That was not the only thing that Sanjeevan inherited as his crusade against crime appear to have stemmed from his father, a criminal lawyer for more than 30 years.

"He did tell me (about MyWatch) and I knew what he was doing and I wasn't worried then.

"I expected maybe some people would want to hit out at him, but I didn't think that they (criminals) would be so daring as to shoot my son," he said.

'Worried mother'

According to Ramakrishnan, his wife though had been concerned about Sanjeevan's safety and urged him to give up.

"But my son said, if he doesn't do what he does, who else is going to do it?" said Ramakrishnan.

Before last weekend's assassination attempt, Sanjeevan (right) was attacked by parang-wielding men in a hotel basement and was also tailed by a suspicious group of individuals at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) in Sepang.

Ramakrishnan said just days before Sanjeevan was shot, his son who is of Indian and Chinese parentage, had expressed concern for his family's safety.

"He said he wanted to improve security at our house in Negeri Sembilan and install CCTVs to protect us and his nephews," said Ramakrishnan.

But while the 29-year-old bachelor and sibling of four was looking out for his family, it was he who was the target of those whose toes he had stepped on.

It came as a shock when last Saturday, Sanjeevan's family received news that he was shot by two men on a motorcycle while driving in Bahau, Negeri Sembilan.

Sanjeevan has been transferred to four different hospitals and is now awaiting surgery to remove a bullet from his rib cage at Serdang Hospital.

Hospital is safest place for now

Though in high spirits, Ramakrishnan, whose hair has turned peppery white, appeared weary and tired.

"We have been sleeping in hospitals for the last three days," he said.

But for now, the hospital is the safest place for Sanjeevan and his family.

"I am very satisfied the police security here, it is much better than when we were in Seremban.

"When my wife or I are with Sanjeevan (in the hospital), there are police men in the room, and they will not leave," he said.

Even Sanjeevan's close friends were not allowed any further than the hospital lobby and only his parents and siblings are allowed to see him.

"We are monitoring his condition, I hope he will get better in the next few days. I would like to talk to him about what exactly happened," said Ramakrishnan.

Nigel Aw