Palanivel to go ahead with suit against RoS

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) President G. Palanivel has instructed lawyers to proceed with a suit against the Registrar of Societies (RoS) “given the current situation” i.e. including a third party, Barisan Nasional (BN) Secretariat, being directed to intervene in the party’s affairs.

The suit also follows the failure of RoS to retract the directives to the party over the disputed 2013 polls and accept the MIC President’s proposals to resolve the woes besetting the party.

The suit is also to determine that the RoS has no powers to act or give directives to the party. The RoS attended a meeting called by the 2009 interim central working committee (CWC) members last Friday.

Palanivel was making his stand in a statement carried by the Star Online.

The decision to allow the BN Secretariat to intervene in the party and “clean it up”, stressed Palanivel, contravenes the MIC constitution and the Societies Act, 1966. “Elections must be conducted under the MIC Constitution and by-laws.”

“Any other course of action, as proposed, will be ‘illegal, null and void’. BN has no jurisdiction to take over the administration of the party or conduct its elections.”

MIC being a BN component party is beside the point, the MIC President implied. “MIC is a political party in its own right, governed by its Constitution, and BN should respect that.”

He was expressing gratitude that the MIC grassroots and leaders would not allow “this grave act of injustice – intervention — to take place”.

He was also expressed his disappointment with his deputy, S. Subramaniam, who conceded at a meeting on Monday with BN Chairman Najib Abdul Razak that the BN Secretariat could intervene in the MIC as directed. Palanivel wasn’t able to attend the meeting because he reportedly had to rush his wife, Kanagam, to hospital. S. Sothinathan, who was asked to represent him, was not allowed into the meeting.

MIC Segamat division chairman A. Nadarajah, echoing the views of MIC Johore leaders, said the BN Secretariat should not have been allowed by the meeting to intervene in the absence of the party’s President.

Negri Sembilan MIC chief A. Ganesan, likewise, criticized the decision as “not good for the MIC”.

Pahang MIC chairman, K. Tamil Selvam, said the Secretariat can act as observers or be a mediator, and not take over anyone’s role.

Malacca MIC chairman M.S. Mahadevan sees the BN Secretariat’s intervention as “more trouble for the party”.

Penang MIC chief M. Karuppanan, in welcoming the involvement of the BN Secretariat and the Prime Minister, said the BN as the parent body can play an advisory role.

Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2015/02/17/palanivel-to-go-ahead-with-suit-against-ros/