Rafidah defends Samy Vellu, calls detractors ‘ungrateful’

The Malaysian Insider

Rafidah recounted how Samy Vellu had fought for the Indian community 

previously. — Picture by Choo Choo May

KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 — A veteran Umno leader has broken the party’s silence over the fiasco surrounding MIC party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu by calling his detractors “ungrateful” and lacking in grace.

Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, who used to sit in the Cabinet with Samy Vellu for decades before the 2008 general elections, has come out in full support of the party president and urged all quarters to respect his exit plan.
The outspoken leader, known as the “iron lady”, said she truly “pitied” Samy Vellu as it was evident from the rising revolt against him that his efforts and struggles over the past three decades had been long forgotten.
“For someone who has worked so long and fought so hard for the Indian community, it is really unfair to drag him out like this.
“I was in Cabinet with him and I know how hard he had fought to get things for the community. He fought with us all, against us all.
“I pity him, really, and how people have failed to acknowledge what he has done... it is just unfair,” she told The Malaysian Insider in a recent interview.
Rafidah urged Samy Vellu’s opponents not to publicly embarrass their long-serving president by attempting to oust him before his time but to respect his quit plan.
“He says he will step down, so why not respect his plan? MIC will not go to ashes just because Samy Vellu sticks around for just a few more months,” she said.
Rafidah pointed out that those who were trying to take over from Samy Vellu lacked grace in their manner of publicly humiliating the leader.
“Always do things with grace. This is so that when you take over, your leadership will be blessed. If you pull people down and you talk bad about them or mount pressure to reject them, it shows you are not a leader.
“Leaders unite, they do not divide,” she said.

Samy Vellu’s retirement plan was met with opposition from some party members. — file pic

After Samy Vellu revealed his plan to resign as president by September 2011, ahead of his term of expiration in May 2012, his words were met with much criticism. Top party leaders complained that the president should leave even earlier than his stipulated plan and urged him to step down during the party’s congress next month.
Among those in the fray were former MIC Youth deputy chief, V. Mugilan, and central working committee members, KP Samy and G. Kumar Aamaan.
All three have since been sacked after speaking out, and have gone on to lead a revolt called the Anti-Samy Vellu Movement (GAS) to express party members’ dissatisfaction with the president.
Former party secretary-general S. Murugessan was also subsequently dismissed from his post when he disagreed with Samy Vellu’s decision to expel the leaders.
Mugilan and Kumar Aamaan yesterday appealed their expulsions.
Rafidah defended Samy Vellu’s sacking orders and said that his members should already be well aware that this was the fiery leader’s way of doing things.
“This has always been his style. Sure, people may not agree but then people already know that this is his style.
“So why work against him when you can work with him? Instead of washing your dirty linen in public, why not speak with him privately and tell him of your disagreements?
“No leader appreciates being repudiated publicly, even the most patient ones will snap,” she said.
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The Star

Thursday June 3, 2010

Sacked leader slams Samy Vellu

PETALING JAYA: Senator Datuk G. Palanivel’s appointment as a deputy minister exposes MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu’s insincerity in handing the reins to his deputy.
Sacked party leader K.P. Samy questioned why Palanivel was given a deputy ministerial post when party vice-president Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam remains as Human Resource Minister.
“This goes against the party hierarchy. If Samy Vellu was sincere in passing over the pre­sidency to Palanivel, should he not have recommended that Palanivel be made minister?
“Did he (Samy Vellu) not follow party hierarchy when he demoted (Tan Sri) Mahalingam from deputy minister to parliamentary secretary more than 10 years ago?” asked K.P. Samy.
Palanivel was appointed Deputy Planta­tion Industries and Commo­dities Minister as part of a mini Cabinet reshuffle announced on Tuesday.
K.P. Samy also urged Dr Subramaniam to step down as minister to pave the way for Palanivel, claiming that failure to do so would be an indication that Dr Subramaniam was also “eyeing the presidency”.
On the Gerakan Anti-Samy (GAS), K.P. Samy said the next gathering would be held in Klang on June 13 despite the lower-than-expected crowd during its launch on May 30.
GAS was formed to pressure Samy Vellu to quit before his September deadline next year.
“Our message is for Samy Vellu to step down quickly, otherwise the in-fighting will continue. But we will be using a different approach. There will be no personal attacks against him,” he added.
On whether he would appeal against his sacking, K.P. Samy said he would discuss with his followers before making a decision after the June 13 gathering.
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