PETALING JAYA: The spat between two camps in the Malaysian Associated Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Maicci) is intensifying, with several disgruntled members planning to take the matter to the Home Ministry.The members claimed that the Registrar of Societies (ROS) is washing its hands off the dispute and hence, they want the ministry to intervene.One faction led by VKK Teagarajan said they plan to meet Home Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein this month to resolve the on-going row plaguing the business chamber.
They also claimed that the ROS had let incumbent president KK Easwaran off the hook over a series of alleged violations of the Maicci constitution.The feud started last year between factions aligned to Easwaran and Teagarajan. The latter was elected president of the business chamber at a special delegates conference in January this year.Factions aligned to Teagarajan have filed affidavits at the Kuala Lumpur High Court in April, claiming that Easwaran was no longer the president. They are still waiting for a hearing date.
Speaking to FMT, a Maicci source said that acting on a complaint that Easwaran failed to call for a special delegates conference despite more than one-third of its member states supported the call, the ROS had investigated but it had stated in a letter that no action would be taken against Easwaran.“The letter dated March 18 stated that ROS will not take action against Maicci as it was satisfied with Easwaran's response to ROS' second letter dated Jan 14. It urged Easwaran to manage the chamber according to the Societies Act 1966. However, the letter failed to address a few issues,” the source said.
“Previously, Easwaran received two warning letters, the first in September 2009 and the second in January 2010. In both letters, he was asked to explain why a special delegates conference was not held although seven out of 12 of its members states have requisitioned for one, thus violating clause 10 (1) of the Maicci constitution. To date, Easwaran had not called for the conference.”“Moreover, the last letter was signed by its investigating officer (IO) Burhainuddin Mustafa while the previous warnings letters were signed by ROS director-general Md Alias Kalil. Is the IO over-ruling his boss?” asked the source.
The event that triggered the friction in the Indian business chamber was the resignation of three office-bearers in February 2009. They quit in protest against Easwaran's statement against Hindraf.According to the trio, Easwaran had no right to issue political statements as Maicci is a business chamber.
Special delegates conference
In the same month, the seven member states urged Easwaran to hold a special delegates conference. According to Maicci constitution, the conference must be called if more than one-third of the members requisitioned for it.However, Easwaran refused to hold the conference and the disgruntled members lodged a complaint with the ROS in September 2009.
Despite the two warning letters from the ROS, Easwaran appeared to have ignored them. This prompted the disgruntled members to form an interim committee chaired by its Sabah chief, Dr V Suppiah, in October 2009.The committee called for special delegates conference on Jan 15 and passed a vote of no confidence against Easwaran. It appointed Teagarajan as the new president.
However, Easwaran swiftly expelled the Sabah branch. On June 7, he held a meeting and expelled 35 delegates from the various member states. Of this, 24 were suspended for two years while the rest were expelled for life.Subsequently, he called for the annual delegates conference on June 27 and cemented his hold on the presidency whose term expires in 2012. This drew flak from Suppiah who claimed that Easwaran did not understand Maicci's struggle and its constitution.
“The constitution only allows the president to expel member states, and not individual delegates from the states. For him to suspend the delegates is another violation of the Maicci charter.”“Moreover, the expelled delegates were people who hold high ranks in the state branches and they were clearly a threat to Easwaran,” Suppiah said.Another source, who is familiar with the inside workings of Maicci, alleged that Easwaran was using his connections with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to instil fear in members.
“In every meeting, he will invoke the premier's name. We are aware that he does have connections with Najib but I am sure even the prime minister himself abhors anyone abusing his name for personal benefits.”
“Easwaran also loves to entice members by offering lucrative contracts and threaten those who disagree with him,” the source said.The source alleged that Easwaran had violated the Maicci constitution again by allowing its de-registered Penang branch to attend the annual delegates conference on June 27.“The Penang branch was de-registered by the ROS on June 22 this year. How can Easwaran allow a de-registered branch to attend the conference?”
Nothing wrong in usin Najib's name
In an immediate reaction, Easwaran said he is the legitimate president of the business chamber.“The ROS had sent a letter, recognising my leadership in Maicci. That's why the other faction failed to get an injuction (to stop) our annual delegates conference last June,” Easwaran said.He added that the move to suspend delegates or states was a collective decision.“The states were expelled by the annual delegates conference while the delegates were dismissed by the Maicci council. It was never my own decision,” he said.
Easwaran also said he invoked Najib's name because it is important to acknowledge those who had helped them.“Is it wrong to acknowledge the government's assistance when it is given to the traders and business people?” Easwaran asked.On the deregistered Penang branch, he refused to comment.“You have to ask the Penang chief about it,” he said.
Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/politics/barisan-nasional/10146-maicci-spat-rivals-seek-hishams-intervention
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