Datuk S. Subramaniam being mobbed by supporters as he leaves after the results were announced last night. - Picture by Jack Ooi
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 – After Saturday’s shock defeat, challenger Datuk S. Subramaniam and his supporters are caught in a heart-breaking dilemma – whether to leave the MIC or stay and fight another day.
The difficult decision is compounded by the fact that MIC president Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu confirmed today the party would definitely act against Subramaniam for allegedly “tarnishing” the party’s image – a catch-all charge that usually leads to expulsion.
“It is a heart breaking decision for us,” said K.P. Samy, one of only two leaders not endorsed by Samy Vellu to win in yesterday’s election.
“What ever Subramaniam decides we will accept ... we will follow,” Samy, a prominent Klang businessman, told The Malaysian Insider.
He won as a member of the MIC Central Working Committee along with another Subramaniam supporter S. P. Manivasagam.
Subramaniam told The Malaysian Insider at his home last night that the immediate task was to cool down and calm emotions.
“I want all my supporters to hold on and not to do or say anything rash,” he said.
“I need time to think…I was fully focused on the campaign and was confident of victory.”
“I need time to decide what next,” he said while not ruling out joining a Pakatan Rakyat (PR) party or taking over “one of the new Indian” political parties.
His supporters, however, want him to make a quick decision and many want him to join a PR party, an option that is difficult for Subramaniam to make because many of his well-heeled supporters who had underwritten his campaign are pro-BN individuals with large business interests dependent on government largesse.
They are urging Subramaniam to stay put, saying his support in the MIC had actually increased but he lost because the anti-Samy Vellu votes were unfortunately split.
They say the pro-Samy Vellu votes was the 629 votes garnered by deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel while the combined anti-Samy Vellu votes were a combined 827 made up of the 547 received by Subramaniam and the 280 votes that the second challenger Datuk S. Sothinathan got.
The path Subramaniam chooses will be tempered by his age and his willingness to start another long struggle from outside the MIC.
He is pushing 65 and unlikely to start all over again in a new party, said a close aide.
“Besides he is a MIC and BN man and is uncomfortable with the opposition,” he said.
Subramaniam’s support in the MIC had always hovered around 45 per cent of the total number of party delegates in the MIC at any one time despite all forms of persecution.
However he has never been able to increase that support although yesterday’s election shows he had breached that limitation for the first time except that Sothinathan’s entry into the fray had split the votes.
“If it was a straight fight, he would have won,” said S. Periasamy, a strategist for Subramaniam.
Under the circumstances Subramaniam has a tough choice to make as he is facing expulsion in MIC although his popularity is on the rise in the MIC and the broader Indian community despite the defeat.
“He has no future in the MIC because they are going to sack him,” said supporter S. Tangavelu from Perak, on Saturday night.
“There is also no future for the MIC. Even if he joins PAS … we will accept and follow him,” he said.
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