Samy Vellu : "I will always be the Maharajah"
‘Political conspiracy’ in MIC thwarted, claims Samy
The outgoing party president said he sought the party’s powerful Central Working Committee (CWC) decision to fill the two top posts to prevent ‘saboteurs’ from causing a power tussle in the MIC.
“My intention is to ensure there is strong leadership after me,” he told reporters here when asked if there were attempts by certain people to cause trouble in the MIC after his retirement.
With MIC deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel set to take over the presidency, the party’s senior vice-president, Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, would be appointed as the acting deputy president, most likely at next Monday’s CWC meeting, the last to be chaired by Samy Vellu as party president.
Samy Vellu, who is expected to hand over the reins to Palanivel after next week’s CWC meeting, admitted hearing of attempts to destabilise or cause disunity within the party through undemocratic and unlawful means after he vacated the president’s post.
“These are all rumours and the work of irresponsible people. The MIC is strong and stable, and we are on the path to a full recovery after the 2008 general election,” said Samy Vellu .
The MIC suffered its worst defeat at the hands of the opposition in the 2008 general election, having lost six of the nine parliamentary seats the party contested.
Samy Vellu had unified the once disorganised MIC under a tough leadership when he took over the presidency from the late Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam in late 1979, and observes noted that the current MIC, sans Samy Vellu at the helm, would spell danger for the party.
Recently, however, Samy Vellu brushed aside such notion and gave the thumbs-up for Palanivel on his ability to lead the party.
Asked if his successor would mobilise and unite the Indian community under the MIC, Samy Vellu said he had initiated the move sometime ago, and it would be continued by Palanivel.
“After the 2008 general election, many Indians realised that the MIC was the only Indian-based party that could represent them, and deliver.
“Many Indian members in opposition parties are keen to join the MIC. In fact, the MIC has distributed 600 membership forms in Sungai Petani, Kedah alone recently. More will come forward, and we are ready to take them in,” he added. — Bernama
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