The Malaysian Insider

By Baradan Kuppusamy

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — Former MIC deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam has decided to stay put in the MIC for now and battle it out with party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu over allegations that the Sept 12 party election was rigged.

He made the decision despite a poll at a gathering last night of his supporters showed the MIC had become irrelevant.

He will not form a new party nor join the Parti Makkal Sakthi Malaysia headed by former Hindraf national co-ordinator R.S. Thanenthiran that has received official blessings from the government with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak set to launch it on Oct 10.

At a “reawakening” gathering in Klang last night attended by about 1,500 supporters, Subramaniam loyalists lambasted Samy Vellu and what they claim was the irregular, unfair and heavily one-sided methods used to win in the election.

While Subramaniam and his supporters are trying to find a new footing in a changing political landscape, the supporters were asked last night to state their position on four issues of importance in a poll.

The results were an eye opener — 95.3 per cent of the 1,200 people polled said the MIC has become irrelevant while 90.2 per cent said they supported the opposition (Pakatan Rakyat) because (of shortcomings) “of current MIC leadership.”

To the third question of whether Indian Malaysians needed a “new amalgamated” party, 84.1 per cent answered in the affirmative.

To the last question of whether the Barisan Nasional (BN) was contributing to the Indian community, the answer was 38.3 per cent in the affirmative and the remaining negative.

The participants include MIC branch chairmen, members, expelled members, IPF supporters and non-affiliated ordinary Indians.

The results indicate the majority of participants, assuming they reflect the views of the Indian community in general, see the MIC under Samy Vellu as severely handicapped and irrelevant but see a future for a new amalgamated party that brings together all the dozen or so political groups in the community under one umbrella.

The question of who is to lead such an entity was not asked in the poll.

The poll also indicates the BN standing has improved in the months since Najib took over as Prime Minister in April with 38.3 per cent saying BN is helping Indians.

This is a marked improvement from the highs of about 80 per cent pre-March 8, 2008, when most Indians held the view that the BN had done “nothing” for the Indians.

If these results are acceptable it indicates that the MIC — with or without Samy Vellu — has a serious credibility problem which even Subramaniam is unable to overcome even if he manages to wrest the MIC from Samy Vellu.

The party is heading for another divisive bout with the Subramaniam’s camp expected to challenge the outcome in the MIC polls.

Subramaniam, who did not attend the gathering last night, had his ally, Klang businessman K.P. Samy, speak for him.

Samy said Subramaniam is “actively” being courted by both PR and BN but will not decide until the current challenges in the MIC related to the Sept 12 elections are settled.

“Until then he will not decide who — opposition or BN,” Samy told the audience. “When he decides it will be based on which side is able to help Indians more.”

He also said Subramaniam, who is likely to be sacked from the party for allegedly tarnishing the MIC image when the central working committee meets on Tuesday, will not form a new party or join the Parti Makkal Sakti Malaysia.

The reason is that there were already too many Indian political parties and the Makkal Sakti party already has a clearly defined leadership set-up which Subramaniam is unwilling to upset.

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