63rd MIC AGM

Sept 13 and 14 2009 would be forever hatched in my mind as I covered the first party elections as a journalist. It was the MIC elections.

The first thing that struck me as I entered the hall in PWTC is the large number of beautiful women who were clearly lobbying delegates to vote in favor of deputy presidential candidate S Subramaniam.

The party itself is 63 years hence I was surprised to see MIC president S Samy Vellu playing the role akin to a teacher as he personally ensured that no one apart from delegates were in the hall after Prime Minister Naji Razak officially opened the the party’s annual general assembly. I mean, for a president who leads a 63 years old party it definitely says a lot about the type of members that the party have.

An observation that I made on day two revealed that grass root leaders are unaware of national issues and vice versa. Similarly I also found out that certain grass root leaders are unaware of what is happening in their localities. This is something detrimental that needs to be arrested immediately if MIC is ever interested of achieving their KPI which is regaining the Indian community support.



I also had a chat with deputy Puteri MIC chief, Mrs Shaila Nair Vell Paari (see above with husband, S Vel Paari) who comes across as a friendly person.

She promoted her event management company as the company to contact if I were to settle down. In response I told her that as a Puteri MIC she should organise Cupid Club a la MCA so that I can meet someone as I am currently single, available and not having much time to spare.

Campaign for change in the MIC polls

US President Barack Obama got into White House after campaigning for change. After being elected on Nov 4, 2008 he was sworn in Jan 20 2009.

His campaign not only made Americans want to believe in change. The whole world believed that change can be brought upon for the betterment of the society.

His campaign for change ‘bug’ has infected the MIC party polls. The party polls would take place on September 12, 2008.

All three deputy president candidates - incumbent, G Palanivel, former deputy president, S Subramaniam and current vice president S Sothinathan, are all campaigning for change.

They have also raised their stakes into the cyberspace. Apart from the party president’s candidate, the other two have websites. Sothinathan’s campaign site can be seen viewed here whereas Subramaniam’s site is here.

The Tamil press highlighted the fact that party president S Samy Vellu is also chanting the change mantra to ensure his preferred one - Palanivel - to win this three cornered tussle.

My question therefore, are simple.

If change is so important to MIC, why didn’t Samy step down to make way for newer crop of leaders to helm the party?

If Palanivel and Subra want change, why did not they execute the change after becoming deputy president at different point of time?

What rebranding exercise is MIC looking at if they can’t even bring the new generation of leaders to helm the party.

Another point to be noted is the fact that, Sothinathan and Palanivel lost in the March 2008 elections, whereas Subra was not listed as a candidate.

As such, how can they bring about change to the community without having the power to execute?

Palanivel throws left right jabs on Subra

With the MIC election for the deputy president post being less than 2 months away, incumbent G Palanivel has countered S Subramaniam with left-right jabs on the face.

Subra started the ball rolling by terming Palanivel as a deputy in the shadows to which Palanivel countered with the left-right jabs.

He questioned Subra's two decade tenure as deputy president as can be seen here.

Backing president's men a hindrance to flourishing democracy

The Malaysian Indian Congress has a democratic system where delegates can choose whomever they want to be their leader.

There are no minimum nominations needed as seen in Umno or position sharing amongst those who have won the largest number of votes

Unfortunately there seems to be the culture of backing all the president's men. As a result of which was the defeat of M Muthupalaniappan in his quest to wrest the party top post from incumbent, S Samy Vellu.

Now that all attention is turned on guessing who would his anointed deputy would be.

Despite announcing that he would not be throwing his support candidate, Samy Vellu has lashed out at former deputy president, S Subramaniam and vice president S Sothinathan - both contenders for deputy presidency - in recent times.

Is Samy backing his current deputy Palanivel? Current developments affirms that pattern. Hence the choice is now upto the delegates to continue their culture of backing the president's men or practise democracy and initiate the winds of change in the MIC.

The Party Elections

Beginning with the prelude of the immediate past president Ong Ka Ting trying to build his dynasty via immediate past secretary general who happens to be Ka Ting's brother, Ka Chuan. The contest for the top 2 posts ended up as the Ongs vs the Chuas.

The verdict given by MCA members were indeed refreshing. Ong Tee Keat beat Chua Jui Meng for the presidency whereas Ong Ka Chuan lost his bid to Chua Soi Lek for the the deputy presidency.

Apart from that several issues by the members for the first time. I think it is partly due to their bad outing in the March 8 2008 episode.

The loss of Ka Chuan indicates that the MCA delegates have woken up and will no longer tolerate dynasties, clans or a particular having control over the party that represents the Chinese community in the Barisan Nasional.

As for the issues raised they have requested for a deputy BN head post created for the MCA. One delegate even had the balls to call for Khairy Jamaluddin and Bukit Bendera UMNO head Ahmad Ismail to be detained under the draconian Internal Security Act. Unfortunately I am pessimistic whether these proposals would see the light of the day since BN component parties operates on an consensus basis. Plus UMNO would not give up the positions that they control within BN.

Would this same trend merge in UMNO? Going by the current nominations I am of the opinion that the power struggles continues to be dominated by certain families. The delay in Khary Jamaluddin to obtain the required that would enable him to contest for UMNO Youth head can be construed as a rejection to party president Abdullah's brand of cronyism. As for now we all shall await patiently for the UMNO party elections to take place in March 2009.

As for the MIC I read today that Samy Vellu would pass the baton to the next deputy president elected next year. And this comes in the midst of reports that Samy Vellu is backing his former deputy president S Subramaniam instead of current deputy, G Palanivel.

MIC oh MIC

The MIC has promised reforms. Thus far it looks superficial in the sense that there are no infusion of young blood. Of course T Mohan the current coordinator for the Youth Wing following SA Vigneswaran's departure from the party cannot be considered as new blood. Officiating a MIC meeting yesterday, he castigated those threatening him as 'mere kids'. Being a non supporter of MIC I am quite sceptical about the rebranding efforts undertaken by Samy Vellu for the MIC. ALl three Tamil news papers gave adequate covereage on the MIC meeting in today's edition.

It is my belief that the MIC would not be able to play a larger for now. Previously even with a sizeable representation in various levels of the government, there was nothing much that the MIC was able to do.

MIC or MTC?

An IANS report stated that Datuk Samy Vellu is planning to bring in more non-Tamil Indians into the party.

The Indian community is a heterogeneous community. And going by the history of the MIC itself , the party actually had non - Tamil Indians during the initial stages of the party.

This call by the current MIC president makes me wonder whether there is a Indian party to represent the 1.8 millian Indians in Malaysia. Apparently this move comes a minute too late since the electorate has moved beyond race based politics.

Lastly, the Indians here have been duped into believing that there is Malaysian Indian Congress when in fact there has been Malaysian Tamil Congress.

MIC representing Malaysian Indians

I was not surprised over the statement made by MIC President, Samy Vellu that MIC is the sole representative of the Indian community as reported in Malaysiakini today.

As much as he realised that they had ignored the electronic media in GE 2008, he seems to have to have had a memory lapse in the sense that he has forgotten that the voting pattern transcended beyond the racial lines.

Add the fact that there are more Indian MPs in People's Alliance compared to the National Front. Perhaps the People's Alliance's Indian MPs need to form an ad hoc committee to raise Indian issues as UMNO is currently playing the Malay unity card.

I do hope that all MPs regardless of race and religion would stand up to defend their all communities in their respective communities.