 KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 19, 2008): MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu took a swipe at those interfering in MIC politics, saying that whether he remains as president or steps down will be decided by the Indian community nationwide, not others.
“If the Indian community in the whole country decide they don’t want me, I’m prepared to go even now. I’m prepared ... but that decision must be made by the Indian community and not outsiders, because I represent the Indians in the government,” he said. The embattled party president was asked to comment on talk that he was not favoured by a certain Barisan Nasional (BN) component party to continue to lead MIC and it was speculated that he may not be fielded on Sunday (Feb 24). The eight-term Sungai Siput MP said this may be his last attempt at seeking re-election, adding that he would leave at an appropriate time. “If I leave the party now, MIC will go into disarray. It is not that I am going to be there for 100 years … I won’t live to 100. Everyone has a time to go,” said Samy Vellu, 72, after officiating at the three-day Pan-Commonwealth conference on professional services trade in a hotel today. The Kluang-born first contested the parliamentary seat in 1974 and has held the seat since then. He has been MIC president since March 22, 1981. Samy Vellu was also asked whether the reports of attempts by groups to get physical with him, like preventing him from leaving after functions in several locations recently, was a signal or pressure for him to pave the way for younger people to lead the party. In Butterworth last Saturday (Feb 16), his car was obstructed by a group of people from leaving the compound of a school where he had earlier attended a function as the group wanted to speak to him. “That’s a great incident (in a cynical tone). Does it indicate they hate me? No, they don’t hate me. They only told me to ask the prime minister to release all the 180 people who were detained for taking part in illegal demonstrations.That’s all they said, they didn’t talk anything about politics,” he said. He said newspapers are quick to publish front page articles when a party leader leaves but the fate of the party is of no concern to them. “They will come back the next day and report the party is in disarray,” said Samy Vellu, referring to the vernacular newspapers which had been reporting on MIC and its leaders. Samy Vellu was also asked if there was a rift between him and his deputy Datuk G. Palanivel. “That’s good news (with a pinch of sarcasm). If you want to destroy a party, you must divide the leaders. A lot of people are trying to do that but we will not allow that to happen,” he said. “I am an old man. I am 95 years old. I will hand over the party to the man next to me and go,” added Samy Vellu. - Sun
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