KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department T Murugiah and his supporters would be joining MIC soon. Announcing this today, MIC president S Samy Vellu said the former PPP leader would be an asset to the Indian-based party.
“We, the entire party, welcome him as a new member. He is diligent and has the spirit to struggle for the Indian community,” he told reporters at the party headquarters here.
Samy Vellu said Murugiah would not be holding any party posts as the MIC constitution forbade a new member from holding office in the first three years.
According to sources, Samy Vellu's son and MIC central working committee member S Vell Paari had played an instrumental role in bringing Murugiah in.
However, FMT learnt that some senior MIC leaders were unhappy with the move.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior MIC leader said that Murugiah would not bring about any significant changes to the party.
"If it is true that Murugiah has got 210,000 suppoters, then he should be showing them. His supporters would also be a problem,” he said.
Explaining further, the senior leader said most of Murugiah's supporters were former PPP division and branch chiefs.
“So would they be willing to just be ordinary members in MIC for three years because of Murugiah? I don't think so,” he added.
Murugiah was embroiled in a protracted leadership struggle with PPP top man M Kayveas, which even resulted in a courtroom battle.
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