Samy Vellu rubbishes early departure rumour

By G Vinod - Free Malaysia Today,

UPDATED KUALA LUMPUR: Long-serving MIC president S Samy Vellu has denied news reports that he would relinquish his party post at the end of the month and not in January next year as announced earlier. 

Speaking to newsmen after chairing the party's central working committee meeting at the MIC headquarters today, he said that there were "many rumours" on his early departure date but none is true.

"Many make noises but we do not care about it. Some people do not have anything to write so they just write something," he said referring to the news reports.

Samy Vellu, who appeared calm throughout the news conference, said he would make a "proper announcement to all" when he decides to "leave the party".

"When I leave the party I will have a meeting and call everyone to announce that I am leaving," he added.

He also slammed a newspaper report today which said that party deputy president G Palanivel could not become the MIC acting president as the party constitution does not provide for an acting president's post.

The 74-year-old party leader said that in the absence of the president, the deputy president will act in the presidential capacity.

"When I resign, Palanivel will become the acting president as stipuated in article 63 of the MIC constitution," he added.

Samy Vellu became party acting president following the death of V Manickavasagam in 1979 and was elected president two years later.

He had been under massive pressure to vacate the MIC top post since the March 2008 general election, where the ruling Barisan Nasional lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament.

MIC too suffered a massive blow at the polls, losing six out of the nine parliamentary seats it contested under the BN banner.

Samy Vellu was also a casualty in the election losing the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat, which he had held for more than 20 years.

Samy Vellu holds the distinction of being the longest-serving MIC president, holding on to the post for a record 11 consecutive terms.

He served as the works minister and was the longest-serving minister in the Cabinet until he lost the Sungai Siput seat in 2008.

He was first appointed to the Cabinet in 1979 as housing and local government minister. He was then appointed works minister. From 1989 to 1995, he became the energy, telecommunication and post minister. He returned to the works ministry in 1995.

He had earlier announced that he would vacate the MIC top post in January next year.

MIC deputy president Palanivel had been named successor to the post. Palanivel would serve as acting president until March 2012, when MIC is scheduled to hold its presidential election.

Do more for urban poor
Speaking on another issue, the MIC president declined comment when asked if the party would support any attempts by Umno to work with PAS.

"If there is such a proposal from Umno, there must be a meaning to it. We will be commenting on it when the proposal comes as previous attempts to talk to PAS had failed," said Samy  Vellu.

On another note, he also urged the Federal Territories and Urban-Well Being Ministry to tackle urban poverty issue, especially those affecting the Indian community.

"Though urban well-being is included in the particular ministry, no activities had been done to help poor Indians in the urban areas," claimed the MIC leader, who was also flanked by Federal Territories and Urban Well-Being deputy minister, M Saravanan.

He added that hundreds turn up at his doorstep every month seeking various assistance to settle their daily problems and most of these poor Indians were from urban areas.

"Every month, about 200 to 300 people come to me seeking assistance to settle their rents and others," said the former works minister.