Subra to face charges after MIC polls

By Baradan Kuppusamy - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 — Thee ugly side of the MIC elections has surfaced — death threats, burning cars as well as disciplinary action. The latest candidate to face charges is Datuk S.Subramaniam, the contender for the deputy president’s post.

The MIC Central Working Committee meeting decided today to ask Subramaniam to show cause for allegedly tarnishing the party’s image.

But the show cause letter would only be sent after the elections, the CWC decided.

The announcement comes as a shock to supporters of Subramaniam who say this is another way to threaten delegates from voting for him.

Subramaniam is facing a three-way contest for the post with incumbent Datuk G.Palanivel and newcomer challenger Datuk S.Sothinathan.

Earlier this week Subramaniam’s strong supporter, K.P.Samy, who is also contesting for a CWC post, received threatening telephone calls to his house.

“My wife picked up the call and the caller was abusive and threatened me to stop speaking up for Subramaniam,” Samy said.

The car of another strong Subramaniam supporter, Senthamil Sekhar, who is also contesting for a CWC post, was burnt down yesterday.

Both leaders have lodged police reports but said they are not cowed.

“We will fight for democracy and freedom in the MIC,” Senthamil said adding delegates would not be cowed by such “underhand tactics”.

But the threat to take disciplinary action against Subramaniam is more serious and could lead to expulsion.

Former MIC vice-president Datuk V. Govinderaj is also expected to be sacked from the MIC, sources said.

The action stems from a claim made by Govinderaj in a newspaper recently that in 1977 he had “pocketed” 30 votes during a deputy president’s contest between Samy Vellu and Subramaniam.

Samy Vellu who won the contest by 26 votes has issued a statement rubbishing the claim.

Subramaniam had expressed sadness and shock saying nothing could be done then and now to correct the injustice.

Govinderaj, who is supporting Subramaniam in the Sept 12 contest and on a war path with Samy Vellu, voluntarily admits now that he had done the “dirty thing” to help Samy Vellu win.

Two years later Samy Vellu became acting president after incumbent Tan Sri V. Manicavasagam died of a heart attack.

“The disciplinary action against them would be taken after the election,” Samy Vellu told reporters today.

Samy Vellu also explained that in the 1977 contest he received 553 of the 1,080 votes while Subramaniam garnered 527.

“There were a lot of people in the counting hall…Subramaniam was also there smoking cigarettes. In such a crowded situation how can the vote cheating happen?” Samy Vellu said.

“This allegation is the best comedy of the year,” Samy Vellu said to laughter.