KUALA LUMPUR: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has levelled another accusation against his former deputy Datuk S. Subramaniam, saying the challenger for the MIC deputy presidency had disgraced the party by seeking the endorsement of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
He said Subramaniam’s move to seek the help of Dr Mahathir in his bid to win the post was a “desperate act”, adding that this had incurred the wrath of many branch and division leaders.
“How cheap and desperate can a man be?” he asked, referring to a report in the Tamil daily Makkal Osai which quoted Dr Mahathir as saying that MIC delegates should vote for Subramaniam.
“It appears that Subramaniam has lost his support in the MIC and has to seek outside help to prop up his support among the delegates. He has lost whatever credibility that was left in him,” he added in a statement.
Samy Vellu said that he was extremely angry and sad that Subramaniam had allowed an outsider to meddle in the party’s affairs.
*************Teagarajan banking on members' loyalty
2009/09/11, NST
KUALA LUMPUR: "Great men will tell you where to go, greater men will take you there. Vote for vice-presidential candidate Datuk V.K.K. Teagarajan."
This is the SMS sent by the former Federal Territory party chief to the nearly 1,500 delegates to the MIC elections on Saturday.
It is part of a campaign strategy by the prominent businessman in the community tailored to tell delegates that he meant business in the fight for one of the three vice-presidencies.
He is banking on his years of experience in the Malaysian Indian Chamber of Commerce to uplift the economic status of members and Indians in general.
"I've submitted many business proposals before but they have fallen on idle ground.
"I need this vice-president's platform to implement these ideas," said the former ally of party chief, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, who broke ranks with the party supremo several years ago.
"I want to bring my business talent into the party. Otherwise, my 30 years in the Indian Chambers of Commerce would be wasted.
"Without this platform, I cannot do much," added Teagarajan who has been seen as being a supporter of Datuk S. Subramaniam, Samy Vellu's arch-rival.
On speculation by party insiders that he did not stand much of a chance at snatching victory from the six other contenders who include party heavyweights, Teagarajan said he had cultivated numerous contacts in the party in his three decades of being a member.
"In the 30 years of Samy Vellu's rule, I have cultivated deep loyalty among members," said the former party information chief.
Teagarajan said the "one-man-show" (referring to Samy Vellu) must be removed forever so that a team could run the party.
"There are winds of change in the party now. We have to work as a team to rebuild the party."
He said he was not going after the post to make money as "I have already made my money as a businesman".
"I just want to leave my legacy behind by contributing to the community," said Teagarajan who contested for a vice-presidency in 2006, coming out fourth with 468 votes.
He admitted that many were still sore with him for pulling out of the race for a vice-presidency in 2003 after being "coaxed" by Samy Vellu who gave him the information chief's post after that.
"Many have not forgiven or forgotten me when I backed out in 2003. I hope things will be different this time around," he added.
Teagarajan, who is contesting against a minister and two deputy ministers, said although he respected them, he thought they would be too bogged down with their work and responsibilities to be burdened with party work.
"They have their hands full. Why would anyone want to be overloaded with more work? They should give a chance to others to contribute to the party."
Sothinathan stakes all in contest for No. 2 post
2009/09/11, NST
PORT DICKSON: Datuk S. Sothinathan may be putting his political career on the line in taking on incumbent Datuk G. Palanivel and veteran leader Datuk S. Subramaniam for the MIC deputy presidency tomorrow.
The former Natural Resources and Environment deputy minister said he was going for broke and that a loss would mean that he would no longer have a position in the party.
"I am not going for any other post in the elections except that of deputy president. I am putting everything at stake in this race," said the 49-year-old incumbent vice-president who won the post in 2006.
Sothinathan is taking on heavyweights in both Palanivel who has party chief Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu's blessings and Subramaniam, who was deputy president for 27 years until 2006.
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| I am not going for any other post in the elections except that of deputy president. I am putting everything at stake in this race. You have to be courageous and have the confidence in order to lead. — Datuk S. Sothinathan |
The University Malaya first-class honours graduate in business administration who became an MIC member in 1981, burst into national prominence when he stood as a candidate in the 2000 Teluk Kemang parliamentary by-election. This came about after the death of parliamentary secretary to the health ministry, S.A. Anpalagan, who died of kidney failure.
He defended the seat in the 2004 general election but lost last year when MIC members of parliament, including party president Samy Vellu, fell like tenpins in the face of an opposition assault.
Sothinathan, who was given a hand up the ladder in the party by the party chief but who fell afoul of him by challenging Palanivel, rose over the years to become secretary-general.
Though a lightweight in the deputy presidential race, he relishes the tag of underdog.
"As an underdog I relish the position," said the erstwhile Samy Vellu ally, adding that despite this, he felt confident of victory at the party polls.
He said having been placed in charge of the party's re-branding exercise last year after the disasterous general election outing had enabled him to make inroads with the grassroots.
"I have done this in the course of seminars for grassroots party leaders. As such, I believe that the grassroots understand me well and will support my bid for the party number two post."
Sothinathan, who was once a political secretary to Samy Vellu, said that being an "independent" candidate this time around did not pose problems for him.
"You have to be courageous and have the confidence in order to lead," he said when met at his service centre office here.
Sothinathan believes he has the credentials for the deputy presidency which usually leads to the presidency as he had the requisite experience, qualifications and ability to speak out for the community.
"We are talking about a new leadership. To remain relevant, society looks for young leadership. Given my advantage in those areas and my experience, I am sure these will be advantageous for me."
Friday September 11, 2009, The Star
Everything in place for MIC polls
KUALA LUMPUR: Ballot papers to be used for the MIC polls tomorrow will have security markings to prevent fraud, election committee chairman Datuk K. Vijayanathan said.
“I will explain the markings to the delegates before the start of voting,” he told The Star.
The markings will ensure no duplication of the ballot papers.
Vijayanathan said everything was in place to ensure a fair, transparent and smooth election.
“I don’t think any of the 71 candidates contesting for the various posts should be unduly worried. Everything will be transparent,” he said.
Vijayanathan added that delegates would be barred from taking their handphones along when they went to cast their votes.
“This is to ensure that no one tries to photograph their ballot papers,” he said.
Incumbent Datuk G. Palanivel is facing a three-way fight for the deputy presidency against former deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam and vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan.
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Friday September 11, 2009
Mahathir spoke his mind, says Subra
KLANG: Datuk S. Subramaniam said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s endorsement of him as the deputy president of the MIC was a “fair comment” by the former Prime Minister.
“We can’t suppress a fair comment and I feel Dr Mahathir is just being fair as he spoke his mind without fear or favour.
“I did not orchestrate the news and it was the newspaper that had come out with the report,” he said.
He was commenting on a front-page report of Makkal Osai yesterday which quoted Dr Mahathir as taking a swipe at MIC president S. Samy Vellu for being “too long” in the party.
Speaking to reporters after meeting about 900 supporters and delegates at the Lourdes Hall at Jalan Tengku Kelana here, Subramaniam said Samy Vellu could not accept it that Dr Mahathir had supported him.
The former MIC deputy president said the Indians should heed Dr Mahathir’s calls for them to progress by removing the party president.
“For the Indian community to progress, we must bring a change in MIC,” he said.
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