Samy vs MIC: Two more bite the dust - Malaysiakini

Two MIC leaders who recently spoke out against party chief S Samy Vellu's delayed plans to step down have been sacked from the party.
 

This brings to three the number of leaders evicted from the party for daring to open their mouths against the party supremo. 

The duo are MIC central working committee members KP Samy and G Kumar Amaan who last week had held a press conference to voice their dissatisfaction against Samy Vellu for not stepping down earlier.

They two were informed in writing today of their sacking with the reason being that they were working against the party's interests.

"I was sacked because I told him (Samy Vellu) to leave the party for the sake of the community," KP Samy told Malaysiakini this evening.

Their expulsion comes just five days after MIC Youth deptuy chief V Mugilan was sacked for publicly urging Samy Vellu to step down immediately and describing him as a liability to BN.

"Some of the CWC members are sad over what has happened," said KP Samy adding that he will relate his next course of action at a high noon press conference tomorrow in Klang. 

This is KP Samy's second sacking from the party for lashing out at the president. He was booted out from MIC in 1988 together MG Pandithan, then an MIC vice-president and who was accused of practising caste politics. 

PM asked to step in

Meanwhile, Kumar Amaan said that his expulsion letter was sent to his house in Negri Sembilan.

"Samy Vellu has expelled me from the party but I only have this message for the people. I leave my fate at their feet and in the hands of God," said Kumar Amaan, adding, "These are the circumstances 'real fighters' have to face in their duty to the people.

"The prime minister is the one who can solve the problem because we are all depending on him," said Kumar Amaan. 

Samy Vellu's retirement from the political scene has long been a matter of speculation stretching back to his disastrous March 8, 2008 general elections outing when he dramatically lost his Sungai Siput parliamentary seat which he had held for 10 consecutive terms.

The MIC strongman (right) has steadfastly resisted intense pressure from both within and without the party to vacate the president's seat with his only concession being that he will retire sometime in 2012 or 2013.

Last Tuesday, however, Samy, 74, announced that he would quit his post eight months before the next party polls, scheduled for May 2012. 

"I will leave eight or nine months before my term expires in May 2012. I will hand over the leadership to the next generation of leaders then.

"This is what I had told the prime minister (Najib Razak) when I met him prior to the Hulu Selangor by-election," he said.

Making way for Palanivel

On Thursday, Mugilan had said that should Samy wait until September next year to retire as planned, his anointed successor would not have enough time to reform the party in time for the next general election.

"He must say why he should stay and I will debate why he should go," Mugilan said. Asked to respond, Samy said: "You ask him (Mugilan) to go to hell."

The next day, Mugilan (left) said he received a letter from the party informing him that he had been sacked. 

On Saturday, the expelled MIC Youth deputy chief launched a movement called GAS (Gerakan Anti-Samy) to mobilise public support for the resignation of the long-time MIC party president.

Kumar Amaan and KP Samy had yesterday backed Mugilan in his effort to push Samy Vellu from his position and pave the way for his deputy G Palanivel to take over the mantle.