‘Once in a while think of the people’

This is the advice R Ramanan offers to those in MIC who are jostling for positions.

GEORGE TOWN: Upset with the infighting in MIC, the party’s strategy bureau vice chief R Ramanan has called on those jostling for posts to “once in a while think of the people you represent and not yourselves.”

Instead of crossing swords, he urged his colleagues to spend their resources to reconcile, recuperate, recover, restrategise and revitalise the battered party.

He slammed those aspirants vying for top positions in the coming party polls as selfish opportunists for putting their political interests above party and community interests.

He called on these opportunists to focus on the betterment of the Indian community, rather than themselves.

Ramanan said his colleagues should take a six-month break to allow peace and unity to prevail in MIC before they eye for positions in party polls.

“This kind of internal squabbling and jostling for positions at this time is downright disgusting. We have just emerged from a grueling and bruising general election.

“Everyone should give the party time to heal. They should spend their resources to resolve pressing Indian issues, not on politicking and bickering.

“The community wants MIC leaders to fight for Indian rights, not among themselves. Once in a while, please also think of the people you represent and not only of yourselves.

“Let us be united and not divided,” he told FMT.

Ramanan said he found it odd that MIC leaders have started fighting for posts now when the party polls would only take place sometime next year.

Since Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had formed his Cabinet, he reminded MIC government appointees to cooperate and get on with their respective jobs to address public grouses.

From now until the next election, he reminded MIC leaders that they faced tough political challenges and to keep the party relevant.

Or else, he warned MIC would suffer the same fate of MCA and Gerakan.

“It seems some MIC leaders’ obsession for posts have blinded them from their duty to uplift Indians from their woes.

“If this obsession persists, the community indeed faces a bleak future with our priorities being upside down. MIC can be wiped out in next round,” he warned.