More unhappiness over vacant MIC senator post

The president has indicated that the vacant slot will go to the national treasurer but the youth wing feels it deserves the post.

KUALA LUMPUR: There is a minor revolt in MIC over the party president’s pick to fill a vacant senator’s post.

A party source said that MIC president G Palanivel has indicated that he will select national treasurer Jaspal Singh to fill the senator’s post which will be vacant as Daljit Singh Dalliwal’s term ends today.

The source said the youth wing is not happy with the president’s suggestion as Palanivel has gone on record as saying the youth wing deserves a senator’s post.

“The proposal was truly unfair as the president promised a senatorship for the youth wing at a Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting,” the source said.

The MIC youth desperately need a senator’s post to convince Indian youths who have no faith in MIC.
“We need the post to voice out our problems affecting Indian youths ,” the source said.

Meanwhile, a senior branch chairman said that Palanivel’s move will not go down well with party members.

The branch chairman from Kedah said most of the Kedah members are upset after the president decided to give two senatorship to the same division.

Last month, Petaling Jaya Selatan MIC chief V Subramaniam and division Wanita head A Sivabagiam were appointed senators.

“It looks like the party central committee is sidelining state leaders,” he said.

He added that Palanivel should be aware that when it comes to general election the state leadership is more important than the central committee.

He also said that MIC has a total of six senatorships. Besides Penang chief PK Subbayah and Tapah division chief S Malasingham, the rest are all Selangor leaders.

Youth chief T Mohan refused to comment on the speculation.

“It is just a rumour. Why should I comment on that?” he told FMT. “Actually, the youth wing is now focused on the upcoming general election.”

He added that the youth wing is working closely with the party president to win back all the MIC seats. He said the youth wing has decided to ask the same number of seats as in the last election.

In the 12th general election, former president S Samy Vellu gave two parliament and three state seats to the youth wing.

Except for M Asojan who won the Gambir seat and R Vidyananthan who retained the Kahang state assembly seat, the rest were defeated.