By Baradan Kuppusamy
KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 — The winds of change are blowing in the MIC, Datuk S. Subramaniam said today as he staked his claim to be the party’s choice to succeed Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu.
He urged the party’s 1,400 delegates to make a change without fear or favour in the party led by Samy Vellu since 1979.
“If you fear to make the change then democracy is defeated.
“Be brave, be like the voters of March 8 and vote without fear,” he said after opening the 24th general assembly of the Nesa Co-operative of which he is president.
Subramaniam, who is running for the deputy president’s post in September against incumbent Datuk G. Palanivel, also took a swipe at his main opponent, saying delegates should vote for someone tested, experienced and able to unite the party and win back lost glory.
“It is no point voting for a candidate who is in the shadows of another individual,” Subramaniam said in urging delegates to think about the future of the party and the Indian community when voting.
“It is no point picking a man sheltering under the umbrella,” Subramaniam said in a reference to Palanivel who is supported by Samy Vellu.
Samy Vellu has already won the presidency uncontested but is expected to hand over the reins to whoever wins the deputy presidency of the party decimated in last year’s March 8 general elections.
The party president had initially said he wanted a free-for-all fight but is now openly backing Palanivel.
He has accused Subramaniam of “stabbing him in the back” by getting an injunction to stop the sale of Oriental Capital Assurance Berhard (OCAB), the insurance arm of Maika Holdings, and the investment arm of the MIC.
“It is a major decision before delegates if not the most important in the party’s history,” Subramaniam said today, adding that he was criss-crossing the country to meet delegates.
Although vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan is also in the race for the deputy president’s post, he is expected to pull out at the last minute and make it a straight fight between Subramaniam and Palanivel.
Palanivel is also crisscrossing the country meeting delegates and campaigning for the hearts and minds of the voters.
With Samy Vellu’s open support, Palanivel defeated Subramaniam in the 2006 contest polling two-third of the votes.
But this time around the political circumstances have changed.
Samy Vellu is on his way out, the party grassroots have fled and the Indian community is without the firm leadership they have seen in the past five decades.
Many are looking to Pakatan Rakyat (PR) for leadership and numerous political parties have surfaced to stake a claim to represent the Indians in a changed landscape.
MIC members close to Subramaniam also say their leader has other options besides fighting for the deputy president’s post.
“If he has no place in the MIC he might decide to cross over and head one of the new Indian political parties. Some of his close supporters are already involved in these parties,” one insider said.
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