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MIC chief Samy Vellu says he won’t retire before 2012

September 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, Sep 19 (ANI): Rejecting former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s demand to immediately step down as the Malaysian Indian Congress Chief, S. Samy Vellu has said that he would stick to his original plan and resign in 2012.

“He (Prime Minister Najib Razak) is aware of my retirement plan. I will keep to my word to the prime minister and I will not change (my plan),” the New Strait Times Online quoted him, as saying.
Earlier, Dr Mohamad had warned that Samy Vellu would become a liability to the Barisan Nasional in the next general election since his leadership has failed.
Mohamad suggested that Samy Vellu should step down and take responsibility for the party’s failure in the last general election.
Reacting to Dr Mohamad’s statement, Samy Vellu said the former prime minister who is now calling him a liability had labelled him an asset “when we were winning.”
“His comments are like telling a young wife that she is beautiful and an asset, but when she becomes old, she is branded a liability,” he said.

“I am not at all surprised. But I think he refuses to understand that the BN losses in the last general election were not because of me. An experienced man (politician) like him should understand that,” he added.
MIC vice-president Dr S. Subramaniam said the leadership of any political party was decided by its members, and it should be respected by the other BN component parties.
“The members decide whether to give or withdraw the mandate and if a decision is made by the members, it should be respected by the other BN component parties.

It will be better if all BN leaders avoided commenting about other parties,” said Subramaniam. (ANI)

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MIC chief to apologise to Dr Mahathir over ‘slipper garland’ insult

September 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, Sep 18 (ANI): Malaysian Indian Congress president S. Samy Vellu has said that he will personally apologise to former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad over the ‘slipper garland’ insult by a MIC member during the recent party congress.

He said he would seek an appointment with Dr Mahathir to tender his apology over the incident.

“I will meet him personally to explain the whole episode and extend my apology,” Samy Vellu said in a statement on Thursday.

The MIC chief said he and the MIC regretted the incident. “I have always had the highest respect for Tun Dr Mahathir. He is a great leader and a statesman.”

He said Dr Mahathir had brought tremendous development to the country and had united the people. “He will always be respected by us and all Malaysians,” The Star quoted Vellu, as saying.

Meanwhile, Dr Mahathir said he did not feel anything about the incident and added: “Nothing would have happened to me.”

Instead, he said he would have felt angry and saddened if Umno members had made such an insult.

“This is not the first time I have been insulted. People might have forgotten how Umno leaders had insulted me. Nazri (Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz) and the previous mentri besar of Kedah wanted me expelled from Umno.

However, then no one gave any reaction. No one dared to say anything,” he said. (ANI)

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Malaysian Indian Congress delegate suspended over slipper garland for ex-PM

September 17, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, Sep.16 (ANI): The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) has suspended a delegate who suggested a garland of slippers for former Prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The Star quoted MIC President S. Samy Vellu as saying in a statement: “With the powers vested in me as the president under the MIC constitution, I have suspended the membership.”

He said the party would wait for recommendations by the disciplinary committee to the Central Working Committee CWC) before deciding on any further action.

The disciplinary committee had to issue a show-cause letter asking the delegate, who was not named, to provide an explanation, and they would decide on any action based on the explanation, he said.

The party constitution provides for the disciplinary committee to warn, suspend or sack the delegate, but it has to be endorsed by the CWC. (ANI)

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Samy Vellu’s men sweep MIC elections

September 14, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, Sep. 13 (ANI): The team chosen by Malaysian Indian Congress president S. Samy Vellu has won all top four positions at the party elections held on Saturday.

The clean sweep has silenced Samy Vellu’s critics who were saying that the MIC president was losing grip on the party, the Star Online reports.

G. Palanivel led the charge by fighting off a strong challenge from S. Subramaniam to retain his deputy presidency by 82 votes.

The other challenger, S. Sothinathan, also failed to fare any better.

Other three vice-presidents elected are-Dr S. Subramaniam, S.K. Devamany and M. Saravanan.

Nineteen out f 23 central working committee posts were won by Samy Vellu’s men.

Following the result declaration, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak urged the MIC to re-unite and strengthen itself to face the challenges ahead. (ANI)

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Malaysian Indian Congress working committee has two Punjabis candidates

September 7, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, Sep. 7 (ANI): In an unprecedented move, the Malaysian Indian Congress has kept two Punjabi hopefuls on the preferred list of candidates for the party’s central working committee (CWC).

MIC President S. Samy Vellu has endorsed J. Randhir Singh from Johor and G. Jaspal Singh from Selangor among 27 candidates, who will be part of party’s decision making body.

According to a part source, one of the two was being groomed by Samy Vellu to fill the vacancy left by former vice president K.S. Nijhar.

“But it will be an uphill task since both are newcomers and are going for the same allocation. And there are only a few north Indian delegates,” the New Strait Times quoted him, as saying.

“There are many candidates vying for the 23 CWC seats and these two are newcomers. They have so little time and the delegates want to get to know them more. They will have to work hard in whatever little time they have,” said another source.

Though popular in their own states, the two candidates are relatively unknown at the national level.

But Randhir is not letting that hamper his chances. He is leveraging on his father Jasbir Singh’s popularity, who has been the Pontian division chairman for the past 45 years.

“I am using the picture with my father because many people recognise my father for his long service to the party. I want to tell them that I am the second generation who will continue what he has been doing for the community,” Randhir said of an appeal in newspapers which shows him along with his father.

Being a non-Tamil speaking candidate in a predominantly Tamil speaking party is a non-issue, as far as he is concerned.

“My father doesn’t speak Tamil as well and he has been division chairman for 45 years. Language is not a barrier. What is important is your ability and willingness to work for the betterment of the community,” he said.

Being on Samy Vellu’s list of endorsed candidates showed that the president recognises the work of non-governmental organisations, he said. (ANI)

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Malaysian Indian Congress working committee has two Punjabis candidates

September 7, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

MIC President S. Samy Vellu has endorsed J. Randhir Singh from Johor and G. Jaspal Singh from Selangor among 27 candidates, who will be part of party’s decision making body.

According to a part source, one of the two was being groomed by Samy Vellu to fill the vacancy left by former vice president K.S. Nijhar.

“But it will be an uphill task since both are newcomers and are going for the same allocation. And there are only a few north Indian delegates,” the New Strait Times quoted him, as saying.

Though popular in their own states, the two candidates are relatively unknown at the national level.

But Randhir is not letting that hamper his chances. He is leveraging on his father Jasbir Singh’s popularity, who has been the Pontian division chairman for the past 45 years.

Being a non-Tamil speaking candidate in a predominantly Tamil speaking party is a non-issue, as far as he is concerned.

“My father doesn’t speak Tamil as well and he has been division chairman for 45 years.

Language is not a barrier. What is important is your ability and willingness to work for the betterment of the community,” he said.

Being on Samy Vellu’s list of endorsed candidates showed that the president recognises the work of non-governmental organisations, he said. (ANI)

MIC veep hopeful wants new economic plan for Malay Indians

September 1, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Petaling Jaya, Aug 31 (ANI): Former Federal Territory Malaysian Indian Congress chief, V.K.K. Teagarajan, who is making a second bid for the vice-presidency, wants to draw up a plan to boost the economic status of the Indian community.

“I have 20 years involvement in the Indian Chamber and have the knowledge to contribute positively to the party and the Indian community,” he said.

Teagarajan, 60, who failed in his first vice-presidential bid in 2006 when he came fourth, is more confident of his chances this time although six others’ are vying for the three posts of vice-president.

He said he tried to join the MIC three times since 1972 before then Federal Territory MIC chairman S. Subramaniam offered him a branch in 1986, The Star reported.

Five years later, he contested and won the Federal Territory chairman’s post, defeating P.S. Pillay and went on to hold the post for 13 years.

In the 2003 party elections, Teagarajan submitted his nomination papers for the vice-presidential post, but withdrew within hours at the request of party president S. Samy Vellu. This angered his supporters.

His confidence this time has been buoyed when Samy Vellu introduced him to Pahang delegates on Friday.

“I did not expect it but this has boosted my chances. This time, there is a sense for change,” he added.

Teagarajan said the vice-presidential aspirants endorsed by the president had their official work to do and the extra burden would be taxing. (ANI)

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MIC urges Universiti Malaya to maintain its Indian Studies dept’s name

August 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, Aug. 29 (ANI): Malaysian Indian Congress chief S. Samy Vellu has urged Universiti Malaya’s vice-chancellor Ghauth Jasmon not to change the name of university’s Indian Studies Department.

“He has to listen to the views of the Indian community. Tamil is our life,” he said when asked to comment on Ghauth’s statement over renaming the department to Indian and South Asian Studies department.
Ghauth had reportedly said that although the name of the department would be changed, its programmes would be maintained.
“We will not accept any changes to the Indian Studies Department because it was the Indians who contributed to the department’s existence and it is also our pride,” the New Strait Times quoted Samy Vellu, as saying.
He said he was informed by Human Resources Minister Dr. S. Subramaniam that the cabinet has agreed to maintain the during a recent Cabinet meeting.
“It has been agreed by the Cabinet. So, there must not be any change in the name,” Samy Vellu said.
He noted that the ISD was created from money collected from Indian estate workers in the early 1950s under the “Save Tamil Fund.”
“The department has many historical values for the Indian community. Changing its name would mean showing disrespect to the Indian community,” he added. (ANI)

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MIC will have to regain Malay-Indian community’s confidence: Samy Vellu

August 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Petaling Jaya, Aug. 29 (ANI): The Malaysian Indian Congress will have to regain Malay-Indian community’s confidence and work hard to prove that it is still relevant to the country, party chief president S Samy Vellu has said.

“There might even come a time when many won’t even realise that there is a party representing the Indians in the Barisan Nasional,” The Star quoted him, as saying.

Noting that a party could now be registered within a couple of days, Samy Vellu said it was difficult to register a political party in past.

“We must all realise that the party will be facing bigger problems and if we don’t work and are not aggressive, we might even be forgotten.

“We have to make sure that other people don’t bully us. We have to show that the MIC is a 64-year-old party, with vast experience and capable of standing on its own,” he said.

The MIC chief added that he had chosen delegates very carefully, and only those are endorsed who are really working for the community and the party. (ANI)

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MIC president claims money politics creeping into party

August 18, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Aug 18(ANI): Malaysian Indian Congress party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has claimed that certain members of the party were indulging in money politics, which was now creeping into the party.

Vellu said this before announcing the results of the MIC Youth and Wanita polls on Sunday, where 500 delegates were present.

“We will clean this up. We will chop them off (remove from the party) whoever they are,” The New Straits Times quoted Vellu, as saying.

Though Vellu didn’t mention any name in particular, he said that party has identified the culprits and would take action against them.

He also informed that the procedure being adopted was to approach delegates at the division level and persuade them to vote for a particular candidate in return for huge sums of money.They are willing to spend thousands of ringgit for each and every vote,” said Vellu. (ANI)

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Railway firm slammed for denying permission to rebuild Malay Indian Congress school

July 13, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, July 13 (ANI): Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) president S. Samy Vellu has hit out at the railway firm Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd for denying the party permission to rebuild a 75-year-old Tamil school in Perak.

Tamil Nesan quoted him as saying that the railway company had forgotten the sacrifices made by Indians who played a major role in the construction of the railway tracks from Ipoh to Padang Besar.

According to The Star, he said the party wanted to replace the termite-infested SJK (T) Perak Sangeetha Sabha, which is a six-classroom wooden structure with a new four-storey building costing RM 2.3 million, which can accommodate 12 classrooms.

The school located on a 0.3 hectare plot of railway land, was built in 1934, and has an enrolment of 178 pupils from Year One to Year Six.

He said that it was frustrating that permission was being denied to rebuild the school even though funds were available. (ANI)

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MIC to fight for inclusion of Tamil language and literature subjects in curriculum

June 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, June 19 (ANI): In a bid to enable Malay Tamil students to take Tamil language and literature subjects, the Malaysian Indian Congress has said it wants to extend the 10-subject limit for SPM students to 11 subjects by 2010.

“We have received feedback from students, and their parents, who are worried about not being able to take the two subjects due to the limit,” The Star quoted MIC President S. Samy Vellu, as saying.

Samy Vellu added that the Human Resources Minister Dr S. Subramaniam, who is also party secretary-general, would raise this issue in the Cabinet.

On Wednesday, Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, said SPM students would be allowed to take a maximum of 10 subjects from 2010.

Speaking about the MIC deputy presidential contest, Samy Vellu said any of the party’s leaders, including those in government positions, could contest for the position.

He indicated that deputy minister M. Saravanan and S.K. Devamany would be allowed to contest for the post.

According to sources, Samy Vellu said he still had not decided whom to back for the post. (ANI)

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Malay Indian body asks govt. not to support Lanka’s ‘non-interference’ draft

May 24, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, May 24 (ANI): Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) president Seri S. Samy Vellu has said the Malaysian government should not support a draft resolution put forth by Sri Lanka at the United Nations.

The draft tabled by Sri Lanka calls the member nations not to interfere in its internal matters.

“Tamils in Malaysia constitute 1.4 million of 1.8 million Indians in the country. As such, their feelings have to be respected. There has to be a war tribunal in Sri Lanka to bring those people who perpetrated crimes against the Tamil community in their war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam,” The New Straits Times quoted Vellu, as saying.

According to reports, Malaysia was among the few countries which backed the Sri Lanka’s non-interference policy.

The draft is being backed by 12 countries such as India, China, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bolivia, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nicaragua, the Philippines and Saudi Arabia.

Earlier, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay supported the calls West countries for an independent inquiry into possible war crimes.

Pillay had said that the small region might have become a ‘killing field’.

However, amid severe criticism, Sri Lanka decided to table its draft before the UN Human Rights Council stating the ‘principle of non-interference’ in internal matters and respect for its sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. (ANI)

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Malaysian Indian Congress demands 25 percent of ASW 2020 shares for Malay Indians

April 23, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, Apr.23 (ANI): The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) has asked the Malaysian Government to reserve at least 25 percent of the 100 million units of the free Amanah Saham Wawasan (ASW 2020) shares for the Indians to realise the community’s 1.5 percent equity participation target, as outlined in the Ninth Malaysia Plan, by next year.

In a front page report, the Tamil Nesan daily quotes MIC president S. Samy Vellu as saying that the party would also ask the Government to allocate at least 20 percent from the 49 percent of the two billion units of ASW 2020 set aside for non-bumiputras to the Indian community.

The Star quoted Malaysian Hindu Sangam (MHS) president A. Vaithilingam as saying that the issue of conversion was the right of an individual, it must not greatly affect the lives of the non-Muslims.

He was referring to the conversion of three children aged between one and 12 by their father Mohammad Ridzuan Abdullah, 40, on April 12 using their birth certificates. He had filed for custody with the Syariah Court. The mother of the children was not aware of the conversion. (ANI)

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We won’t pullout from the government: Samy Vellu

April 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, April 17 (IANS) ‘No pullout, case closed’, said Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) chief S. Samy Vellu while categorically rejecting speculation that his party wants to quit the Malaysian government.

Vellu met Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak Thursday to say that the sole cabinet minister and two junior ministers from the MIC be retained in the government.

S. Subramaniam is the human resource minister, while the two junior ministers are S. Devamani and M. Sarvanan.

He told the media after chairing the party’s central working committee meeting that the prime minister should consider a ‘senior’ ministry to be given to the MIC and the appointment of an MIC woman representative as deputy minister.

‘I told him this is my request. I leave it in his hands,’ New Straits Times quoted him as saying.

The MIC had said the party might withdraw from the government for being allotted a ‘junior’ ministry at the cabinet level, the report said.

Vellu said he did not seek the Works Ministry, which he held for long till he suffered a shock defeat in the election last year. He said he had merely asked for a senior ministry.

MIC has traditionally spoken for Malaysia’s two million-plus ethnic Indians and has been part of the government since the independence in 1957.

A bulk of the Indians came here during the British era. They form eight percent of Malaysia’s multi-ethnic population.

The prime minister, who took office April 4, has said the constituents of the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional were welcome to make suggestions, but the final decision about the parties’ representation, and the portfolios would be his.

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Thirty-two people lose vision after cataract operation

April 5, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

PURNIA: As many as 32 people claimed to have almost lost their vision after undergoing a cataract operation at a free medical camp organised by an
NGO here.

The 32 people, who underwent an eye operation at a camp in Kasba in January, approached district magistrate Sridhar Cheru Vellu alleging that they have almost lost their vision after the surgery, official sources said.

The victims have also sought the administration’s help for an operation to improve their vision.

Vellu said the civil surgeon had ordered an inquiry led by a senior ophthalmologist of the district hospital.

“Action will be taken in accordance with the inquiry report,” he added.

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Malaysian Indian Congress president Vellu set to retain post

March 16, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, Mar 16 (ANI): Incumbent Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) president S. Samy Vellu is all set to retain the party’s top post for a record 11th consecutive term, as his only challenger, former MIC vice-president M.

Muthupalaniappan is not expected to get the minimum 50 nominations required from the party’s branches.

Under the party constitution, a presidential aspirant needs 300 nominations, with each nomination needing a proposer and five seconders, to be eligible to contest. All proposers and seconders must be branch chairmen.

The MIC president will be picked by the 22 committee members of each of the 3,700 branches nationwide. The party has fixed March 22 for the nominations and polling on April 12.

If Muthupalaniappan fails to get 50 nominations, Vellu will be named president on March 22 — the same date when he officially became the party supremo, 28 years ago in 1981.

In January, Muthupalaniappan was expelled by the disciplinary committee for acting against the interests of the party but was reinstated following an appeal to the party’s Central Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision-making body.

According to the New Strait Times, Muthupalaniappan had claimed that there were concerted efforts by some party leaders to ensure he did not get enough nominations to contest.

“I am facing an uphill task. Even obtaining nomination forms is a huge task, what more asking branch leaders to sign it,” he said.

Political observers said “politics of patronage” was the reason why Samy Vellu’s grip on power had remained unchallenged for decades.

A CWC member said the thousands of branches, which held their annual general meetings last month, had unanimously supported Samy Vellu for the president’s post.

With Samy Vellu expected to retain the top post, the fight would focus on the deputy president’s post. (ANI)

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Malaysia to recruit more Indians-origin civil servants

February 15, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, Feb. 14 (ANI): Malaysia’s Human Resources Minister Dr. S. Subramaniam has indicated a major breakthrough in request by the Malaysian Indian Congress to increase non-Malay recruitments in the civil service.

Subramaniam said the matter was decided in a meeting attended by the Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Sidek Hassan, Public Services Commission (PSC) chairman Jamaluddin Ahmad Damanhuri and Public Services Department Director General Ismail Adam in Putrajaya on Friday.

“A memo (memorandum) will be issued (by the PSC) on the matter soon. Let’s wait for the memo,” the MIC secretary-general Subramaniam said.

The decision will be discussed in a Cabinet Committee meeting for Indian Development scheduled on February 23, which is expected to be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, The Star quoted him, as saying.

The Malaysian Indian Congress wants an eight percent Indian representation in the civil service.

Earlier, MIC president S. Samy Vellu had observed that the number of Indians civil servants in Malaysia was somewhere between 3.5 per cent to less than five percent.

A news report had claimed that Indians had accounted for only 2.5 per cent out of 486,802 civil services applicants in Malaysia.

However, PSD Director General Ismail had said the situation was difficult to change although the PSD was trying to reduce the gap among the races in the civil service. (ANI)

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MIC wants to increase proportion of Indians in public service

February 9, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Gombak, Feb 9 (ANI): Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) President S. Samy Vellu will meet Chief Secretary Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan on February 13 to finalise an agreement to increase the proportion of Indians in public service from 4.5 per cent to 8 per cent this year.

Talking to reporters after attending the Thaipusam celebrations at Batu Caves on Sunday Samy saidvthat 50 new Tamil schools costing RM80mil would be built in the country this year.

“For all posts advertised by the Government, 8 per cent should be reserved for Indians based on the racial make-up of the country,” he added

He said RM25mil would be spent on upgrading and repairing 25 existing schools.

“The first phase will start in June and the second in August. An allocation of RM30mil was initially given when he was the Works Minister,” he said.

The remaining RMv50mil allocation was part of the RM200mil allocation for Chinese, Tamil, mission and religious schools from the Government’s stimulus package unveiled by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak last November, The Star reported. (ANI)

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Malaysian Indian Congress chief assures more facilities to the Indian community

February 7, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, Feb. 6 (ANI): Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) president S. Samy Vellu has said that the Cabinet Committee for the Development of Indians will discuss issues affecting the Indian community, including equity participation on February 23.
The news Strait Times quoted Vellu as saying that the committee, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, is likely to discuss MIC’s proposals, including the setting-up of a mechanism to increase Indians’ equity participation from the current 1.2 percent to 3 percent in 2020.
During the Eighth Malaysia Plan period (2001-2005), the Indian equity fell down from 1.5 percent in 2000 to 1.2 percent in 2004.
The MIC had suggested that a mechanism should be established within the government-owned Permodalan Nasional Bhd to assist poor Indians to buy shares through 50 percent grants and 50 percent loans from the Government.
Vellu said several decisions were taken at the first Cabinet Committee meeting last July 1 that included, streamlining the procedure for bringing Hindu, Sikh and other priests from India and fully aiding the Tamil schools which were partially-aided earlier.

He said the Government had also approved 80 million Ringgits over the last 18 months to redevelop 50 Tamil schools, which were in a dilapidated state.

MIC had also demanded to increase the number of Public Service Department scholarships for Indians studying in foreign universities to 163 students.
Other decisions include enabling those who scored 9As and above in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination to receive scholarships to study in local universities, recognising the MIC-run Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology University as among the institutes where scholarship students could enrol and agreeing to set up a special task force under the Home Ministry to deal with the 30,000 Indians born in Malaysia who are still without documents. (ANI)

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