KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 —It is back to square one for the MIC with party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu publicly attacking his former deputy Datuk S. Subramaniam over a number of issues, indicating that a peace pact between them brokered in the wake of the party’s massive defeats on March 8, 2008, is all but over.
With Samy Vellu nearing his retirement and the top party leadership up for grabs, the old Samy Vellu-Subra rivalry that had divided the party for three decades, has returned.
“We have no choice but to fight it out if Subramaniam is betrayed,” said K.P. Samy, a die-hard Subramaniam loyalist, told The Malaysian Insider.
“I won’t discount the possibility that Subra might field a line-up to contest all posts,” he said, adding a head-on battle, if it happens, would be brutal.
Such a fight would divide the party down the line, said a former MIC vice-president, adding the party might break up and some factions might join the DAP and the PKR.
“In the end the Barisan would be the big loser,” he said, urging Samy Vellu to stick to his promise, both to Subramaniam, to the BN and to the Indian community, to retire gracefully and let the rank and file decide the new leadership in a "free and fair" election.
"The last thing he should do is take sides," he said, adding that the PKR is constantly wooing veteran MIC leaders.
It is believed that several veteran MIC leaders have come together and formed an informal group and are planning to speak up “for the MIC” in the weeks ahead.
At stake in the contest are the deputy president, three vice-presidents and 25 seats in the central working committee.
After promising to be above the fray, Samy Vellu is now openly endorsing incumbent deputy Datuk G. Palanivel and in the process has angered another loyalist, vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan, who has announced he would contest for the deputy post.
Besides them and Subramaniam, former party treasurer Datuk V.K.K. Teagarajan also announced, nine months ago, he was contesting for the deputy president’s post.
But sources close to him say he is now seeking a vice-president’s post in a Subramanian lineup, if it takes shape along, with other MIC veterans sidelined by Samy Vellu.
They believe the ground is good for a "rebellion" after 30 years under Samy Vellu's leadership. "We want change... anybody but Samy Vellu and his coterie," said a MIC branch chairman.
Four days after the March 8 disaster Samy Vellu and Subramaniam met for peace talks and during the talks the two had agreed to end their long standing feud, MIC sources said.
Both agreed to close ranks, revive the party's fortunes and let the delegates decide, in a free and fair fight, as to who should lead the party after Samy Vellu.
Subramaniam came under heavy fire from his supporters for cutting a deal with Samy Vellu who they believe was unlikely to honour the deal.
They said Samy Vellu, who was facing re-election as president, made up with Subramaniam only to stop the former from challenging him.
After the pact Samy Vellu and Subramaniam once again emerged on the stage together as friends and were seen speaking, shaking hands and embracing each other.
However, in recent weeks Samy Vellu, who was elected unopposed as president in April, has lashed out at Subramaniam, blaming him for the failure of Maika Holdings, among other things.
He also said he needed a deputy with whom he could work with, adding Palanivel as the incumbent was known to him and able to work with him, implying Subramaniam was not the candidate of his choice.
Party insiders said Samy Vellu, by lashing out at Subramaniam, is trying to win over delegates who fear that Subramaniam, if he becomes president, might order a clean up of the party and its sorry finances.
“Many older delegates who have benefited from Samy Vellu's leadership fear a Subramaniam takeover. But the younger delegates are all for reform and for change,” party insiders said.
“The problem is that the majority of the delegates are old guards and unwilling to call it a day,” they said
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