Samy Vellu promises major changes in MIC within six months

KAJANG, June 6 — Major changes are expected to take place in the MIC in the next six months, including an overhaul of the party’s machinery, party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said today.

Without elaborating on the changes, the MIC supremo said he was determined to hand over a stable party with an efficient and effective machinery to his successor.

However, Samy Vellu hinted that the changes would include replacing branch leaders who were performing poorly and not to the expectations of the party members and the Indian community.

“Every leader has to prove the worthiness of his or her leadership. If we fail to do that due to our own negligence, then we are only failing our community. We will lose our right to represent our community,” he said when opening the 64th Selangor MIC Convention, here.

Samy Vellu said: “There must be a complete overhaul of our party machinery. It is being done now, and within the next six months, there will be major changes to the way we execute our plans and policies.

"The government is prepared to help us bring development for the Indian community, provided we change. When I say change, I mean changing the mindset and attitude in discharging our duties,” he said.

He said the way forward was to adopt new and innovative ways of doing things.

“We must be brave to do things creatively, beyond our imagination. We must adopt new approaches that will make people understand that we are serious in doing our business,” he said.

Samy Vellu said the changes would start in Selangor MIC, headed by MIC deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel. It has 107,735 members in 939 branches.

“Selangor MIC must now act fast and think of doing a major overhaul to its machinery. Selangor MIC can be a major force to lead the other state MIC. You must be a leader by example but first you must change.

“If we do this, there is a better chance to survive in this challenging political climate. We will succeed in representing the Indian community. If we are weak and fight among each other, then other Barisan Nasional component parties will not respect us. We will not have any honour and will lose our dignity,” he added. — Bernama