Samy: Some want to see MIC burn

By G Vinod
KUALA LUMPUR: S Samy Vellu, who is in the final lap of his MIC presidency, has revealed that certain quarters desired to witness the incineration of the party.
And this was the reason behind him naming current deputy president G Palanivel as his successor, and vice-president Dr S Subramaniam as the next number two.
This, Samy Vellu added, would ensure a smooth transition in MIC, which he had led for three decades.
Without revealing names, he said: "Some people want to see our peaceful house (MIC) razed.”
“So I named them (Palanivel and Subramaniam) as leaders to ensure that does not happen," he told reporters at the sidelines of a function here.
The former works minister also advised the incoming top leaders not to heed the “negative voices” and focus on their work.
"As party leaders, you must not listen to them and put party interests first," he stressed.
MIC is strongest
Meanwhile, the MIC president also commented on an Utusan Malaysia report which noted that the Indian community here was split into supporting eight political parties.
Despite this, Samy Vellu stressed that his party was the strongest of the lot, and the only one capable of bringing progress for the community.
He said MIC had successfully served the community in the past and would continue to do so in future.
Samy Vellu pinned the blame on Indians turning their backs on Barisan Nasional in the last general election on former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's administration.
In the 2008 polls, MIC suffered its heaviest electoral defeat, with even Samy Vellu being vanquished in his traditional parliamentary stronghold of Sungai Siput.
"It was just that in 2008, Indians left us as the BN government then failed to hear the grouses of the community," he said, adding that the situation was different now.
He said Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak was reaching out to grassroots Indians and the community's support was returning to the ruling coalition.
"In fact, there are about 600 applications from several PKR members in Kedah wanting to join our party," he claimed.
On another matter, Samy Vellu declined to comment on Perkasa calling PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and her deputy Azmin Ali as “political prostitutes” and for all those who challenge the ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) concept to be banished.
"I need time to study the details and will comment within a couple of days," he said.