Mugilan: GAS not running on Umno money

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — Sacked MIC Youth deputy chief V. Mugilan has denied claims he received moral and financial support from Umno to kick-start the Anti-Samy Vellu Movement (GAS), meant to force the MIC president to expedite his departure.Mugilan is to launch the campaign this Sunday, claiming he has the support of past and present MIC leaders to push Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu step down from the presidency that he has held for 31 years.
“No, the movement is my own. It is not an Umno programme, no help was given by Umno,” Mugilan said, who claimed the charges being flung by Samy Vellu and his faction were signs of desperation.The president’s son Vell Paari has labelled his father’s critics as “political assassins” sent by Umno to bring him down. Umno has denied the claims.“They (Samy Vellu’s backers) want to twist the actual situation by inciting the Indians, especially MIC members,” added Mugilan, who was also dismissed as Hulu Selangor MIC youth chief last Thursday.He claimed his initiative had received widespread support from the Indian community and did not require aid from other racial groupings.“May 30 is judgment day for Samy Vellu’s leadership,” he added.Mugilan also claimed to have obtained the support of various non-governmental organisations, including that of approximately 230 lawyers.During the announcement of this campaign two days ago, Mugilan asserted the movement was founded on the disenchantment of the various races with Samy Vellu’s leadership while the latter was a minister.On Saturday, MIC Youth secretary C. Sivarrajah had urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to probe allegations that Mugilan’s campaign was being funded by Umno.“When he (Mugilan) was rallying support, he had told my members that they had been given RM3 million by Umno for the campaign,” claimed Sivaraajh.
Mugilan reiterated that he had not betrayed Barisan Nasional during last month’s Hulu Selangor vote.
“I did not betray or go against the interests of MIC and Umno-BN in the Hulu Selangor by-election. I had even helped out in the campaign. “It was just Samy Vellu who said it but no such thing happened,” he said.
Mugilan went on to accuse Samy Vellu of dismissing him on nonsensical grounds.
“He sacked me for suggesting he should retire from MIC, that is all. Yet he claims I was forcing him to resign, he is like a child who does not know what he’s doing,” Mugilan stated. “I cannot accept being sacked over that.” Mugilan will file an appeal against the action on Monday.“I will appeal it on Monday as I am now tied up with the Anti-Samy Vellu Movement Anyway, I have 14 days in which to prepare,” he said.
Apart from Mugilan, Samy Vellu has used his wide presidential powers to sack three other critics, including two from the central working committee (CWC) for calling him to step down this year rather than his timeline of leaving office by late 2011.The MIC chief is the only leader who has yet to step down after Barisan Nasional’s Election 2008 debacle. The other senior members in the coalition, Umno and MCA, have already seen changes in their national leadership.

Source : http://www.themalaysianinsider.com