Samy rides on Najib as Subra gains momentum

By Baradan Kuppusamy, Themalaysianinsider.com

GEORGE TOWN, Sept 1 – MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu is singing a new tune as the Sept 12 MIC election enters the final lap – praising Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to woo delegates even as his former deputy and rival Datuk S. Subramaniam finalised his team.

While Samy Vellu’s team is for the status quo, Subramaniam’s rallying cry is “Matram” or change.

At the final leg of a gathering of voters in Penang on Monday night, Samy Vellu outlined the issues before the delegates – MIC has suffered massive losses, it needs to close ranks and re-invent itself and the way out is to benefit from a new prime minister in Najib who is listening to Indian woes and earnestly acting to give Indians the fair share of the country’s wealth.

Najib has ignored Samy Vellu in his move to reach out to Indian voters for Barisan Nasional (BN). At a recent rally in Batu Caves, the prime minister spoke directly to the Indian community without the presence of the MIC leader.

Sensing the return of some Indian support for BN as a result of Najib, Samy Vellu is now attempting to portray himself as part of the prime minister’s team.

“This is the time to stay united, work with me and my team and reap the benefits from reforms the prime minister is introducing,” Samy Vellu said urging delegates to return his team so that the team can work with Najib.

Samy Vellu also criticised previous prime ministers for listening and promising but not doing enough for the Indian community.

“I have spoken up for the community so many times but it all fell on deaf ears. But now we have a prime minister who is taking the right action.”

“The MIC is at a crossroads and, if we elect the wrong people, everything is lost … there is no future for us,” he said to about 200 delegates gathered at a hotel in George Town.

However the floor greeted the speech without any enthusiasm.

“We have heard it all before,” said a younger delegate from Penang. “He is trying to ride on the Najib wave.”

In Kuala Lumpur, Subramaniam was holding late night meetings to finalise a list of candidates to face Samy Vellu’s line-up for the September 12 election.

“We need major changes if the MIC is to survive and become united again to lead the Indian community as it had done in the past six decades,” Subramaniam told The Malaysian Insider.

“Our line-up is a fair balance of candidates from all backgrounds … ours is a team for change, for the future,” he said. “If delegates do not vote for change there is no future for us.”

In his list are prominent rebels like Klang businessman K.P. Samy, S.P. Manivasagam and millionaire businessman Senthamil Segar, among others, contesting for the 23 posts in the Central Working Committee.

Subramaniam is in a three-way fight for the deputy president’s post, against incumbent Datuk G. Palanivel, who is supported by Samy Vellu, and incumbent vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan.

Subramaniam’s team received a boost today after Datuk K. Tangavellu, a key leader in the Mukulathor caste association, whose members are associated with Samy Vellu, declared his support for the former deputy president.

“He is experienced and able to reunite the party and bring back Indian community support for the MIC,” Tangavellu told The Malaysian Insider.

“He is for change and we want change … the grassroots is crying out for change,” he said explaining why he is backing Subramaniam. “The country underwent a massive change in March 8, 2008. It is time change sweeps through the MIC also.”

Samy Vellu has put together a team of mostly old hands, many of whom, like himself and his deputy president candidate Palanivel, had been rejected by voters on March 8.

However, his team also includes three new faces for the three vice-presidents posts, namely Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk S.K. Devamany and Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk M. Saravanan.

Dr Subramaniam has a big lead in the contest but the other two are struggling, MIC sources said. They are being challenged by the popular Datuk S. Balakrishnan of Johore, Datuk V.K.K. Teagarajan of the Federal Territory MIC and S. Subramaniam, a newcomer and former Selangor MIC Youth chief.

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The Sun

Sothi: Samy's 'dream team' may not be endorsed by all
Tim Leonard

PETALING JAYA (Sept 1, 2009) : MIC vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan today took a swipe at his former mentor and MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu for parading a ‘dream team’ to delegates for the oncoming party polls.

S. Samy Vellu

Sothinathan, who fell out with Samy Vellu recently, told theSun that the president's dream team may not necessarily reflect the aspirations of the grassroots’ or the Indian community as a whole.

"One man’s dream team may not be the team endorsed by the grassroots," Sothinathan said.

"So one man’s dream team may not reflect the dreams of the community," he added.

Sothinathan, who is contesting the MIC deputy president's post, said the Indian community wanted a change at the leadership level and MIC must take necessary steps to bring about the changes.

"We must respect the wishes of the community," he pointed out.

Sothinathan said although he was grateful for Samy Vellu for bringing him into the MIC, he nevertheless remains firm in his stand that the party must adapt to changes.

"We must step out of our comfort zone and stop ignoring the wishes of the community. Change has to come…so that the people are independent and free to choose whoever they want as leaders…not just based on one man’s dream team," he said.

Sothinathan also urged delegates not to be guided by current circumstances within the party in electing their leaders.

The 49-year-old former Teluk Kemang MP said this year’s party polls is very crucial as it will set the pace for things to come, especially in winning back the hearts of Indian voters who deserted MIC in the previous general elections.

S Subramaniam

Samy Vellu had over the past couple of days, paraded his dream team in Penang and Negri Sembilan, appealing to delegates to vote them in.

The dream team comprises incumbent Datuk G Palanivel for the post of deputy president and three new faces as vice-presidents, namely Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S Subramaniam, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk SK Devamany and Federal Territories Deputy Minister Datuk M Saravanan.

Palanivel is challenged by former deputy president Datuk S Subramaniam and Sothinathan.

A total of 1,464 delegates will cast their votes in the Sept 12 polls.

MIC lost heavily in the 2008 elections – six out of nine parliamentary seats and 12 out of 19 state seats.

Among those who lost were Samy Vellu, Palanivel and Sothinathan.