Despite the growing clamour for his exit, Samy Vellu is sticking to his own timeline. — file pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 — Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu’s announcement this week that he is not stepping down in December has thrown the party into confusion, with supporters of deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel — expecting an early handover — facing the reality the MIC president will be around for some time yet.
They had eyed December 31 as a good cut-off time for Samy Vellu’s reign, and some were preparing a grand send-off — but are now disappointed that Samy Vellu, whom they had hoped would be cajoled into retiring earlier than he plans to, has dashed their hope.
On Wednesday, Samy Vellu firmly told his critics not to dream. “I am not leaving in December,” he said. “I will leave on a date of my choosing. I will not walk away into the night.”
However, supporters of vice-president and Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, who are hoping Samy Vellu will call for an early presidential election, were overjoyed with the Samy Vellu’s announcement.
They want him to stay until at least mid-2011 when he can call for a presidential election and let the delegates’ decide once and for all who will succeed him as party president.
Samy Vellu had propped up Palanivel and ensured his wins in two contests for the deputy president’s post against veteran Datuk S. Subramaniam in 2006 and 2009.
In the last contest, Palanivel nearly lost but managed to hang on courtesy of Samy Vellu’s strategy in fielding Datuk S. Sothinathan as a spoiler. Sothinathan polled 280 votes, splitting the support for Subramaniam and enabling Palanivel to slip through by only 82 votes.
The combined votes against Palanivel were 827 compared to the 629 he had garnered.
On Wednesday, the 74-year-old Samy Vellu candidly admitted he has to go but maintained that he would only do so at a date of his choosing. All efforts to oust him by lodging police reports, using newspapers to pressure him, and starting the Gerakan Anti-Samy Vellu have failed miserably.
Earlier, the government had offered various inducements — including a federal Tunship and a special ambassador’s post in South Asia — in the hopes that Samy Vellu would be enticed into hastening his exit — but he was not.
Subramaniam’s supporters said an early election was the way out. “It would be free and fair and the person with the real support would inherit the MIC,” a supporter said.
“A party led by a popular leader can better interact with the community and restore Indian support for the Barisan (Nasional),” she said.
Palanivel’s supporters, however, disagree. They want Samy Vellu to leave and hand over to his position to Palanivel, who would become acting president until the next party election — which is not due until March 2012, when Samy Vellu’s current term ends.
Samy Vellu has promised to leave “eight or nine” months earlier than that, putting it at around August or September 2011, when a presidential election can be held.
But supporters of Palanivel claimed that an early presidential election would be illegal and was not provided for in the MIC’s charter.
They also say Samy Vellu must resign in order to create a vacancy for the president’s post, a position that supporters of Subramaniam dispute.
“Samy Vellu can remain president and conduct the presidential election as long as the CWC (Central Working Committee) agrees,” they said adding the legal issues can be ironed out. “What’s important is the will of the delegates as expressed in the general assembly or the CWC.”
While these disputes rage on in the MIC, the two main protagonists in the drama — Palanivel and Dr Subramaniam — are crisscrossing the country under the guise of ministerial functions to meet delegates and lobby for their support.
Although Palanivel is against an early presidential election, but he is not leaving the matter to chance and has hit the campaign trail to canvass for support.
His appointment as a deputy minister soon after the Hulu Selangor by-election has galvanised his camp and raised their hopes that he may one day inherit the MIC.
Subramaniam, seen to be more popular among the party rank and file than Palanivel, is equally determined to meet and win over the party grassroots.
If Samy Vellu does hold a presidential election, the two leaders are determined to be ready to battle it out and not be caught by surprise.
Former deputy Datuk S. Subramaniam is also likely to enter the fray, along with possibly Sothinathan, to make it a grand, do-or-die affair to inherit the MIC after Samy Vellu’s exit.
Ultimately, however, it is Samy Vellu who will still decide the winner. Despite the waning of his long career, he still controls the loyalty of at least 60 per cent of the delegates and will likely determine his own heir.
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