The MIC president does not want to be seen as taking sides, says a source from his camp.
PETALING JAYA: MIC president G Palanivel will not be in the country for the next one week, attending an international climate change conference in Poland, giving him the opportunity to avoid being seen as taking sides in the party’s vice presidential race.
“He does not want any speculation that he is endorsing anyone for the veep race,” a source from Palanivel’s camp told FMT. He is only due back on Nov 24.
Eight candidates, including incumbents M Saravanan and SK Devamany, are vying for the three vice presidential seats. The others are former youth chiefs T Mohan and SA Vigneswaran, party treasurer-general Jaspal Singh, former vice president S Sothinathan, Johor Baharu division leader S Balakrishnan and Bukit Bintang division leader James Selvarajah.
A Tamil daily reported today that Palanivel had allegedly endorsed Vigneswaran, Jaspal, Balakrishnan and Sothinathan.
FMT’s source laughed off the report, saying that it did not make sense for the president to endorse four candidates for three seats.
The party’s deputy president, Dr S Subramaniam, said he knew nothing about Palanivel endorsing anyone.
“I don’t know anything about it,” he said. “The president has said that he is not endorsing anyone. Personally, I feel the race should be free and fair without any interference.
“So far, there is no official stance taken by the president. As you can see, there is no official announcement on this.”
However, a source from the party’s Central Working Committee (CWC) claimed that Palanivel had named the four as his preferred candidates in text messages to those close to him.
Peace plan
Palanivel retained the party presidency uncontested some three months ago under a peace plan brokered by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. The deal was reached after Palanivel, Subramaniam, Saravanan and Devamany—met Najib at the Prime Minister’s residence.
The plan stipulates a no-contest for the party’s top two positions.
Subramaniam won the deputy president’s post uncontested as nominations for the deputy presidency, vice presidencies and 23 CWC positions closed last weekend.
A total of 88 candidates are fighting for the CWC seats.
Sources told FMT that there are more to the peace plan than already reported.
“Part of the peace plan is that Palanivel and Subramaniam will not put up their preferred candidates lists for vice presidential and CWC positions,” said a source.
If Palanivel has indeed endorsed the four candidates, it would run foul of Najib’s peace plan and anger Saravanan and Devamany.
“If it is true, then definitely Saravanan and Devamany will ask Palanivel to reveal details of the peace plan,” the source said. “They will also go to the ground and could stir some trouble for the president.”
“Saravanan is just waiting to see how this develops. If Palanivel endorses anyone, then he is expected to come out with guns blazing and this will not be good for Palanivel or the party due to the support he has in the party now.”
Devamany is no pushover either. The Perak state assembly speaker is also a firebrand and if he teams up with Saravanan in bashing Palanivel, the party would definitely go through a rough patch.
According to the source, it is for this reason that Palanivel is unlikely to endorse anyone openly.
Prior to the nomination, Palanivel on numerous occasions openly said he would not endorse any candidate.
“But some of the candidates are going out showing SMSes, allegedly from the president, endorsing them,” the source said.
“This endorsement thing was started by the candidates and their cronies and not by the president.
“How can Palanivel defend something which is not true? He can only deny. He cannot do much if someone says he or she is endorsed by the president. It is better for Palanivel to deny this once and for all before polling on Nov 30.”
PETALING JAYA: MIC president G Palanivel will not be in the country for the next one week, attending an international climate change conference in Poland, giving him the opportunity to avoid being seen as taking sides in the party’s vice presidential race.“He does not want any speculation that he is endorsing anyone for the veep race,” a source from Palanivel’s camp told FMT. He is only due back on Nov 24.
Eight candidates, including incumbents M Saravanan and SK Devamany, are vying for the three vice presidential seats. The others are former youth chiefs T Mohan and SA Vigneswaran, party treasurer-general Jaspal Singh, former vice president S Sothinathan, Johor Baharu division leader S Balakrishnan and Bukit Bintang division leader James Selvarajah.
A Tamil daily reported today that Palanivel had allegedly endorsed Vigneswaran, Jaspal, Balakrishnan and Sothinathan.
FMT’s source laughed off the report, saying that it did not make sense for the president to endorse four candidates for three seats.
The party’s deputy president, Dr S Subramaniam, said he knew nothing about Palanivel endorsing anyone.
“I don’t know anything about it,” he said. “The president has said that he is not endorsing anyone. Personally, I feel the race should be free and fair without any interference.
“So far, there is no official stance taken by the president. As you can see, there is no official announcement on this.”
However, a source from the party’s Central Working Committee (CWC) claimed that Palanivel had named the four as his preferred candidates in text messages to those close to him.
Peace plan
Palanivel retained the party presidency uncontested some three months ago under a peace plan brokered by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. The deal was reached after Palanivel, Subramaniam, Saravanan and Devamany—met Najib at the Prime Minister’s residence.
The plan stipulates a no-contest for the party’s top two positions.
Subramaniam won the deputy president’s post uncontested as nominations for the deputy presidency, vice presidencies and 23 CWC positions closed last weekend.
A total of 88 candidates are fighting for the CWC seats.
Sources told FMT that there are more to the peace plan than already reported.
“Part of the peace plan is that Palanivel and Subramaniam will not put up their preferred candidates lists for vice presidential and CWC positions,” said a source.
If Palanivel has indeed endorsed the four candidates, it would run foul of Najib’s peace plan and anger Saravanan and Devamany.
“If it is true, then definitely Saravanan and Devamany will ask Palanivel to reveal details of the peace plan,” the source said. “They will also go to the ground and could stir some trouble for the president.”
“Saravanan is just waiting to see how this develops. If Palanivel endorses anyone, then he is expected to come out with guns blazing and this will not be good for Palanivel or the party due to the support he has in the party now.”
Devamany is no pushover either. The Perak state assembly speaker is also a firebrand and if he teams up with Saravanan in bashing Palanivel, the party would definitely go through a rough patch.
According to the source, it is for this reason that Palanivel is unlikely to endorse anyone openly.
Prior to the nomination, Palanivel on numerous occasions openly said he would not endorse any candidate.
“But some of the candidates are going out showing SMSes, allegedly from the president, endorsing them,” the source said.
“This endorsement thing was started by the candidates and their cronies and not by the president.
“How can Palanivel defend something which is not true? He can only deny. He cannot do much if someone says he or she is endorsed by the president. It is better for Palanivel to deny this once and for all before polling on Nov 30.”
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