Mugilan claims sabotage but insists GAS is a success

Gerakan Anti-Samy Vellu (GAS) leader V. Mugilan claimed its washout gathering today was the result of sabotage by the MIC president — Picture by Yow Hong Chieh

 

KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 — Gerakan Anti-Samy Vellu (GAS) leader V. Mugilan claimed its washout gathering today was the result of sabotage by the MIC president that they want to oust.

“If it’s not because of sabotage, we would have 20,000 people here today,” said the sacked MIC Youth deputy chief before some 4,000 strong supporters at the Mines Convention Centre here.

The gathering was held to put pressure on Datuk Seri Samy Vellu to step down earlier than his September 2011 deadline. GAS blame the loss of Indian support towards MIC on Samy, who has been president for 31 years.

While insisting that the gathering was still a success, Mugilan alleged one of its leader had been abducted and that Samy Vellu had spent close to RM5 million to prevent MIC members from attending.

“One of our leaders has been abducted. He went missing, I don’t know what had happened to him,” he said.

Organisers of today’s gathering also blamed the poor turnout on the eleventh hour venue change.

Today’s protest was to have been held at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) but was switched to the Mines after the PWTC management cancelled the original booking, causing confusion among potential protesters, said Mugilan.

“Imagine if we had held this gathering at PWTC. Mampus! (Samy Vellu is finished!),” he said to a thunderous applause.

The former MIC leader, however, said GAS has persevered albeit the “death threats” and “intimidation” which he said was a sign and the dawn of a movement that will not rest until Samy Vellu is ousted.

“Samy is a liability to Barisan Nasional and the government. His son, Vel Paari, blamed Umno for the lost of support among the Indians towards BN but I tell him, it’s not them, it’s Samy Vellu,” said Mugilan in his speech.

Umno, the lynchpin in BN, is often used by Mugilan as campaign fodder against Samy Vellu. This has led to accusations that GAS is bankrolled by the Malay party.

Its leaders denied but it is an open secret that many of Umno’s top leaders believe Samy Vellu is a liability to the ruling coalition and want him out of MIC.

This was reflected at the recent Hulu Selangor by-election where Samy Vellu was told to stay away from campaigning trails despite having an MIC candidate contesting.

Mugilan repeatedly echoed Umno’s denial in his speech. He even swore on a Hindu holy book, Thirukkural, that he is not working for Umno or any other parties.

“I am fighting for the Indians, for you, for the truth,” said the young leader while pointing to the crowd.

As expected, the gathering became a Samy Vellu-bashing session with several former MIC leaders taking turns to take the stomp and launch vitriols against the MIC president.

Datuk VL Kandan, the younger brother of former MIC president Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam whom Samy Vellu took over from, said the latter was no longer wanted by not just the Indians, but Malaysians in general.

“The Malays, Chinese and Indians all want to see him go. Everyone wants to see him go except his son and his people in the party’s central working committee (CWC)”.

Another leader, influential MIC figure and former CWC member Datuk V. Govindaraju, a mentor to Samy Vellu, said he had lied and done many “sinful things” for his political apprentice.

“I feel sorry. I apologise to the Indian community as a whole... and [to] the nation,” he said.

Govindaraju was expelled from the party in 2007 for asking Samy Vellu to step down.

KP Samy, another former CWC member sacked by the MIC president alongside Mugilan, also joined in the chorus and accused Samy Vellu of being the cause of the Indian community’s downfall.

Mugilan in concluding his speech said he will launch a petition campaign to get 500,000 signatures against his former boss.

At the same time he urged BN’s top leadership to help the Indian party rid it off Samy Vellu.

“Which one do you want. The Indian community or Samy Vellu?” he asked.