Trouble brewing in Penang MIC

State chief's appointment of S Muthurani as women's wing leader has raised the hackles of branch and division leaders

GEORGE TOWN: Penang MIC president M Karuppanan is facing a revolt from the party’s state Wanita wing over his choice of S Muthurani as the wing’s chief.

Wanita division leaders in the state are planning to send a petition against Karuppanan’s appointment of Muthurani to party president G Palanivel.

Karuppanan had earlier appointed two leaders to head the state Youth and Wanita movements respectively. But these appointments were revoked after both the movements rejected his choice.

Last week, he appointed Muthurani as the state Wanita chief but this too had not gone down well among the grassroots, especially division and branch Wanita leaders.

Wanita leaders from nine out of 11 divisions in the state have prepared and signed a petition, to be submitted to Palanivel, urging him to remove and replace Muthurani.

They are also planning to submit copies of the petition to party secretary-general Prakash Rao and national women leader M Mohana.

The nine are M Maliga of Tasek Gelugor, S Praymah (Nibong Tebal), S Mugaambigai (Bagan), A Letchumy (Batu Kawan) and N Deviga (Bukit Mertajam). Others are S Suguna Devi (Bukit Gelugor), A Thangamalar (Bayan Baru), K Nagesuari (Balik Pulau) and R Prema (Jelutong).

The nine leaders are upset that Karuppanan decided to appoint 38-year-old Muthurani, who is only the Bukit Gelugor division Wanita deputy chief.

They feel that the state Wanita wing should be headed by a senior leader who had a proven track record and good work ethics.

“Karuppanan told division Wanita leaders in Penang that his choice has been endorsed by Palanivel. He can’t be appointing someone just because he is ‘comfortable’ working with her.

“Is Karuppanan trying to say he can’t work with rest of us?” asked a division leader who declined to be named.

Karuppanan replaced Prema, the Jelutong MIC Wanita chief, with Muthurani, better known as Kavitha in the party circles.

Muthurani unperturbed

Muthurani, who operates a kindergarten, was earlier appointed state deputy Wanita head.

Karuppanan has also changed the youth leadership by appointing A Murugan as its head with M Shankar as deputy.

Originally Shankar, who heads Bukit Mertajam division youth wing, was the state chief with Murugan, who is Tasek Gelugor youth chief, as his deputy.

Karuppanan it is learnt had informed, about the changes in the Youth and Wanita wings, all division leaders, youth and women leaders of this latest change via a text message on Feb 10.

Previously many division leaders and Wanita chiefs were against the appointment of Prema as state leader, citing her inexperience and lack of track record and seniority as reasons.

Now they are also against Muthurani’s appointment for same reasons. When contacted, Muthurani was unperturbed about the petition.

She told FMT that several division women leaders had told her that “they were forced to sign the petition.”

She claimed to have the backing of eight division women leaders.

She said Bagan, Nibong Tebal, Jelutong and Bayan Baru women leaders were against her appointment while Balik Pulau’s K Nagesuari had taken a neutral stand.

Muthurani had previously served as state Puteri wing deputy head and Bukit Gelugor division Puteri head (both 2010-2012).

She also worked for Karupanan in the last general election as his press secretary and programme coordinator in the Bagan Dalam state constituency.

“It’s normal to have detractors in politics. I will carry out my duties. The women section will work hard to regain the trust of Indian women towards MIC and Barisan Nasional in Penang,” said Muthurani.