MIC will block GAS leaders from returning to party

KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — MIC is working to quash any appeal and bolster its case against four members who were expelled from the party for asking Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu to resign.Last month, V. Mugilan was stripped of his MIC Youth deputy chief post while V. Subramaniam was sacked as Petaling Jaya Selatan division head. G. Kumar Aamaan and K. P. Samy were also removed from MIC’s Central Working Committee (CWC).


The four earned the wrath of Samy Vellu for questioning his retirement plan and were summarily kicked out of the party by the veteran politician himself.Samy Vellu, who took over the MIC presidency from the late Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam 31 years ago, had promised to step down “seven or eight months” before his term expires in March 2012 and hand over the reins to his deputy, Datuk G. Palanivel. A senior party source told The Malaysian Insider that Samy Vellu was looking to use the four’s involvement in Gerakan Anti-Samy Vellu (GAS) to justify their sacking.

GAS was formed by former MIC Youth deputy chief V. Mugilan last month to pressure Samy Vellu to step down.“The way he (Samy Vellu) charged [the four] was a very weak case... They intend to amend the charges,” the source said.However, he said the MIC president should not be able to use the four’s involvement with GAS after they had been expelled to strengthen the case against them.

“The moment you’re expelled, you’re free to do anything. You’ll not [have to] abide by the party rules,” he reasoned.Samy Vellu had expelled Mugilan, Subramaniam, Kumar Aamaan and K. P. Samy based on Article 14.2.1 of the MIC constitution.The article states that no member should make or be party to the making of any statement to the press on any matter concerning the party, party affairs or any member of the party which is detrimental to the party or is contrary to its policy or objectives.Mugilan and Kumar Aamaan had earlier said that their expulsion contravened the constitution.“We put it to them to prove which part of our statements made to the press was detrimental to the party when we were merely requesting for Samy Vellu to step down for the greater good of the party and the community,” they said on June 5.

They argued that Samy Vellu was an individual who was destroying the party and their call for him to resign was in line with party objectives.However, MIC secretary-general Datuk T. Rajagopalu denied the party was trying to strengthen its case against the the four.“Don’t say we’re strengthening the case. We put up the facts,” he said.“We will prepare a paper for each case — evidence, how long they’ve been in the party. Each case has its own merits.”He said that MIC vice-president Datuk Dr. S. Subramaniam will chair the CWC appeals hearing once he returned from an International Labour Organisation conference in Geneva.

“When he comes back, we’ll call for a meeting then we put up the case to them (CWC),” he said, adding that a decision would only be reached after debate by committee members.He refused to comment on whether or not Mugilan, Subramaniam, Kumar Aamaan and K. P. Samy’s participation in GAS would be made part of the evidence.