The outspoken leader, known as the “iron lady”, said she truly “pitied” Samy Vellu as it was evident from the rising revolt against him that his efforts and struggles over the past three decades had been long forgotten.
“For someone who has worked so long and fought so hard for the Indian community, it is really unfair to drag him out like this.“I was in Cabinet with him and I know how hard he had fought to get things for the community. He fought with us all, against us all.“I pity him, really, and how people have failed to acknowledge what he has done... it is just unfair,” she told The Malaysian Insider in a recent interview.
Rafidah urged Samy Vellu’s opponents not to publicly embarrass their long-serving president by attempting to oust him before his time but to respect his quit plan.“He says he will step down, so why not respect his plan? MIC will not go to ashes just because Samy Vellu sticks around for just a few more months,” she said.
Rafidah pointed out that those who were trying to take over from Samy Vellu lacked grace in their manner of publicly humiliating the leader.“Always do things with grace. This is so that when you take over, your leadership will be blessed. If you pull people down and you talk bad about them or mount pressure to reject them, it shows you are not a leader.
“Leaders unite, they do not divide,” she said.
Samy Vellu’s retirement plan was met with opposition from some party members. — file picAfter Samy Vellu revealed his plan to resign as president by September 2011, ahead of his term of expiration in May 2012, his words were met with much criticism.Top party leaders complained that the president should leave even earlier than his stipulated plan and urged him to step down during the party’s congress next month.
Among those in the fray were former MIC Youth deputy chief, V. Mugilan, and central working committee members, KP Samy and G. Kumar Aamaan.All three have since been sacked after speaking out, and have gone on to lead a revolt called the Anti-Samy Vellu Movement (GAS) to express party members’ dissatisfaction with the president.Former party secretary-general S. Murugessan was also subsequently dismissed from his post when he disagreed with Samy Vellu’s decision to expel the leaders.
Mugilan and Kumar Aamaan yesterday appealed their expulsions.
Rafidah defended Samy Vellu’s sacking orders and said that his members should already be well aware that this was the fiery leader’s way of doing things.“This has always been his style. Sure, people may not agree but then people already know that this is his style.“So why work against him when you can work with him? Instead of washing your dirty linen in public, why not speak with him privately and tell him of your disagreements?“No leader appreciates being repudiated publicly, even the most patient ones will snap,” she said
Source : http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/
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