MIC number 2 slams president’s move to sue RoS

Fresh elections for MIC is the best and quickest way to resolve the party's infighting, party deputy president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said, a day after president Datuk G. Palanivel filed for a judicial review against the Registrar of Societies's (RoS) directive for re-elections.

Subramaniam, said legal action would take too long, "up to years", and would have consequences on the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN), which the Indian-based MIC is a part of.

“Sometimes, judicial processes are so long that they can take up to years, consequently affecting the party, community, the government, BN, and even the coming general elections,” Subramaniam, who is also the Health Minister, said after launching a food safety conference in Kuala Lumpur.

“As I have stated previously, a quick and immediate resolution should be achieved and by resolution I mean re-election.”

MIC has been in turmoil since its 2013 election for certain office bearers and central committee positions were disputed, leading to the RoS instructing the party to hold fresh polls or face possible deregistration.

Yesterday, Palanivel filed a judicial review against the RoS's order for MIC to hold fresh elections for several positions in the party.

It is the second legal attempt to challenge the RoS, after MIC central working committee (CWC) member K. Ramalingam submitted an application for a judicial review against the action and statements made by RoS and its director-general on February 23.

Subramaniam today disagreed that MIC would split up and said any setbacks would only be temporary.

“Sometimes party members have different views, … but to me I don’t see it as big problem, I think the focus should be on the resolution,” he said.

“Our focus is on re-elections now, not on other issues, we don’t want to be distracted,” he said, adding that preparations for re-elections had already started, citing the selection of candidates from all branches to be sent to the RoS as an example.

Palanivel’s move to file a judicial review has drawn criticism, such as former MIC strategic director S. Vell Paari, who said such a move was against the party’s constitution which required any member to get the approval of the CWC before taking party matters to court.

Dates have not been fixed for the re-elections yet. – March 3, 2015.