KUALA LUMPUR: It is this very mentality that drove Indians to vote for the opposition in the last general election, said MIC president S Samy Vellu.
Therefore, the veteran politician suggested that those who play with the fire of racism, must have their fingers burnt.
He cautioned the Education Ministry against allowing a principal, who had allegedly uttered disparaging remarks against her Chinese and Indian students, to be let off with a slap on the wrist.
In a statement today, the MIC president urged the ministry to take serious and appropriate action against Siti Inshah Mansor if she was found guilty.
He said although the ministry appeared to have resolved the case, MIC wanted to ensure that the principal was punished accordingly.
“The punishment must commensurate with the offence,” he said, adding that the alleged remarks had insulted and degraded the Indian and Chinese communities.
“Statements of this nature made before the March 2008 general election made the Indians feel hurt and alienated from the government. It caused Indians to drift away from Barisan Nasional.
“To say the least, these remarks are insulting and offensive to Indians and had created doubts in their minds and is against the true meaning of 1Malaysia,” he said, adding that an apology from the principal would not be enough.
Siti Insah courted infamy when her Chinese and Indian students claimed that she had insulted them during a Mederka celebration at the secondary school, located in Kulai, Johor.
The principal had allegedly told the Chinese students to go back to China and likened Indian students to dogs.
Enraged parents subsequently filed a litany of police reports and Siti Insah, who is currently on leave, is being investigated under the Penal Code.
At the onset of the controversy, Samy Vellu had called for the principal to be charged with sedition for her “shameless and senseless” act.
CWC upholds Mugilan's sacking
In another development, the MIC central working committee (CWC) today upheld the sacking of former deputy Youth chief V Mugilan.
Since Mugilan failed to attend the hearing at the CWC meeting, his expulsion from the party was endorsed by the committee.
“The CWC decision is final,” said Samy Vellu.
On the fate of another sacked member G Kumar Aamaan, the president said the former CWC member had requested for another opportunity to be heard as he was unable to make it for today’s meeting.
“His (Kumar’s) case is still pending until further notice. He wants an opportunity to make his appeal to the CWC,” the MIC chief said.
Samy Vellu and his deputy G Palanivel did not attend the hearing of Mugilan and Kumar's cases this morning. The meeting was chaired by vice-president Dr S Subramaniam.
Mugilan and Kumar along with former CWC member, K P Samy and a MIC division leader, V Subramaniam or better known as Bharath Maniam, were expelled from the MIC early this year by the president for “working against the interest of the party”.
Last month, the CWC upheld the decision.
Mugilan's sacking had come hot on the heels of his statement urging Samy Vellu to step down with immediate effect while KP Samy and Kumar had openly backed the call.
The trio then went on to start the “Gerakan Anti-Samy Vellu” (GAS) campaign, and have since accused the veteran president of numerous misdeeds.
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