Mugilan launches GAS against Samy Vellu - Malaysiakini

Expelled MIC Youth deputy chief V Mugilan said he would launch a mass movement called GAS (Gerakan Anti-Samy Vellu) to campaign against the long-time party president.

At a press conference today, the rebel leader said the campaign will kick off with a gathering in Kuala Lumpur on May 30.

This will be followed by gatherings in other states.

Mugilan, who spent the greater part of an hour blaming Samy Vellu for the failures of MIC and the Indian community, urged all disenchanted MIC members to join the campaign.

He said the movement is expected to draw in at least 7,000 people, "including former MIC top guns who were sacked by Samy".

"We used to use firewood but now we use gas, so if people still want to be old-fashioned and use firewood, I don't know what to say," he said, inviting chuckles from those present.

He will press on until Samy resigns

According to Mugilan, he would not relent until Samy Vellu, who has helmed the embattled Indian-based party for almost three decades, quits as the party boss.

Mugilan was sacked by Samy Vellu for demanding the veteran leader to step down now, instead of next September, the deadline set early this week by the party supremo.

The former deputy Youth chief also said he would not appeal the decision to fire him from his party post, but instead will only appeal to remain as a party member.

He showed the termination letter which he received from Samy Vellu at the press conference.

Speaking to reporters at Petaing Jaya today, he said he had no intention to join the opposition, despite the many invitations because his heart is with the people.

In his rant against Samy Vellu, Mugilan said that the president spent 31 years in his position being "confused" by picking fights and later making up with other MIC leaders, like vice president S Subramaniam.

Among others, Mugilan also expressed frustration with the appointment of Samy Vellu's son S Vel Paari to the party's powerful central working committee, which he deemed as "nepotism".

He also urged Samy Vellu to return his shares back to the party investment arm of Maika without taking a single sen, so that the mostly poor Indians who had invested in it could at least make a small profit.

The shares sold for RM1 per unit 27 years ago and are now worth 80 sen each.

"They sold their cows and chickens to buy those shares because they had faith in you," he said, addressing Samy Vellu.

"Samy is trying to leave the party to his son, but who is Vel Paari? He's never contested for any position.

"MIC stands for Malaysian Indian Congress not My Indian Congress," he spat out.

Mugilan gives tips to Pakatan

Not content with that, Mugilan rubbed it in further, saying that though the BN won in the Hulu Selangor by-election, Samy Vellu's presence had cost the coalition around 5,000 votes.

"(We won) because Prime Minister Najib Razak joined the campaign. My tip to the opposition is if they want to win in an election, put up more posters of Samy," he quipped.

Also present was CWC member G Kumar Aman, another vocal critic of Samy Vellu and expected to be the next "on the list of people to be sacked".

MIC Youth is expected to hold a press conference later today to counter Mugilan's claims.