‘Dr Subra should take charge’

MIC leaders feel that the party's number two should be responsible and clear the current confusion in the party.

PETALING JAYA: MIC leaders want party deputy president Dr S Subramaniam to take a bold move and clear the current confusion in the party, which resulted from irregularities in the MIC polls held two weeks ago.

A party leader, who did not want to be named, said the Health Minister was in the best position to clear the air on matters related to the polls, which has been marred by various allegations of irregularities.

“Those who contested and lost are claiming foul play. They have alleged a lot of things. Some have filed appeals to the party election steering committee and the party central working committee (CWC).

“The CWC — the party’s all powerful decision making body — will have to decide if a re-election is warranted. Only after the CWC decides, then members can take their case to the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

“Keeping mum or pointing his finger at the president is not right. He should take a stand on the matter,” said the leader.

He said complaints being made by some candidates at the polls were against the MIC president Palanivel.

“Palanivel will have to excuse himself from the CWC when they hear the appeal as some complaints are against the president. The newly elected vice presidents — S Sothinathan, M Saravanan and KS Balakrishnan — too, should not be in the appeal hearing as they were party to the polls.

“That leaves Dr Subramaniam. He is in the best position to solve this problem and put it to rest once and for all,” he added.

MIC held its internal election to select three vice presidents and 23 CWC members on Nov 30. A total of eight candidates contested for the vice president race while 88 aspirants fought for the 23 CWC seats.

The polls was marred by various irregularities with some candidates going public with their allegations.

Barely 24 hours after the election, Palanivel flew out of the country for a holiday. He is expected to return tomorrow. The MIC president has yet to appoint anyone for the party secretary general, treasurer general and information chief positions.

MIC headquarters sources revealed that the party have yet to gazette the election results and the ballots, which were cast on Nov 30, as the ballot papers and documents has still not been received or delivered to the headquarters.

Dr Subramaniam early this week said he would leave it to Palanivel to answer all allegations pertaining to the polls.

“Ask the president,” was his answer to reporters when asked about the party’s election debacle.

A party veteran speaking to FMT revealed that former leaders are keeping watch of the situation in the party and many have expressed unhappiness over the MIC state of affairs.

“As a deputy president he should take charge. Dr Subramaniam won the post uncontested. He has nothing to worry about or hide.

“If these leaders love the party more than their positions, then they would surely speak up and find an amicable solution to the problem,” said a party veteran, who declined to be named.

He said veteran leaders were alarmed by the move of some leaders, who lost in the polls, wanting to hold a protest in front of the party headquarters if the matter was not solved fairly.

“We worked hard to get rid of this protest culture. This culture died down after (S) Samy Vellu (former president) left. It did a lot of damage to the party at one time. But now, we might just witness the comeback of this protest culture.

” This is not good for the MIC and Barisan Nasional in general. This is the time for MIC to pick up Indian votes which are coming back because the community realises that the opposition cannot do much for Indians. Instead of shoring up support, MIC is busy involved with infighting.

“And the lack of bold leaders who can take the bull by the horn is a stumbling block for the MIC,” a veteran leader summed-up.

Meanwhile party secretary general A Sakthivel confirmed that the party had received five official complaints on alleged irregularities in the polls.

“I will be passing the complaints to the election steering committee for further investigations,” he added.

However, last week a MIC election steering committee member and a party veteran leader have pointed out that the MIC election steering committee was powerless to act on the matter.

A election steering committee member, who did not want to be named, told FMT that the MIC election by-laws specifies that the party CWC must decide if a re-election is warranted or otherwise.

The party secretary general also claimed that out of the 96 candidates who contested in the polls only five have lodged official complaints and that it was “not a big issue.”

Sakthivel however said he was not in a position to clarify matters on the election as he too was a candidate in the polls.

The Puchong division chief contested one of the 23 CWC posts and won.

He said this at a press conference for the Tamil dailies. Although it was called a press conference, reporters were not allowed to ask questions.

However party sources reveal Sakthivel should not have called for the press conference as the party president had yet to announce the new MIC national line-up following the Nov 30 elections.

“The secretary general, treasurer general and the information chief have yet to be announced. Sakthivel, himself does not know if he is the secretary general this term. He is former secretary general until and unless Palanivel re-appoints him.

“Legally he has no locus standi to speak on behalf of the party. Palanivel and Dr Subramaniam are president and deputy president respectively. They should be making the announcements, whatever it may be. Otherwise, Palanivel must make the appointments and let the new office bearers to talk on his behalf,” said a party leader.

Sources claim that Palanivel was already planning to replace Sakthivel but the secretary general has asked for six months before vacating the seat.