By Baradan Kuppusamy
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 – Veteran MIC leader and former deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam, who lost in his bid to retake the post in the September 12 party election, has declared the polls null and void because of numerous alleged irregularities.
He wants fresh elections to be held under an independent authority to be set up by the party.
Subramaniam said this in a letter to the MIC secretary general and the CWC in which he also said that if the elections are nullified the 35-member Central Working Committee has to be disbanded.
The letter dated today was handed to the MIC by hand. A MIC source made available a copy of the three-page letter to The Malaysian Insider.
Subramaniam could not be reached for comments.
In the letter Subramaniam, who narrowly lost to incumbent Datuk G. Palanivel in a three-corner contest, cited numerous irregularities that automatically cast doubts on the conduct of the election and nullifies the results.
Samy Vellu’s “president’s team” romped home in the election but the results for the deputy president’s contest showed a significant erosion of support with the majority of delegates voting against Palanivel, his choice as deputy president and eventual successor.
Palanivel won because the anti-Samy Vellu votes were split between Subramaniam and another contender Datuk S. Sothinathan.
In the letter Subramaniam said “extremely serious violations and transgressions of rules and natural justice and election norms, procedures” were violated.
Among the irregularities he cited were:
• Delegates elected at the divisions were not allowed to participate in the elections;
• Members not elected as delegates at the divisions were allowed to vote;
• Samy Vellu misused and abused his office in favour of his team by a) putting up and campaigning for his own line-up; b) threatening delegates by saying he would not retire if they vote for Subramaniam; c) threatening disciplinary action against me (Subramaniam) to frighten voters away.
• The official line-up of candidates violated election rules and procedures by continuing to campaign after the campaign time and use of the Tamil Nesan, owned by Samy Vellu’s family, to campaign even during polling day.
• Samy Vellu countermanded the Election Commission rule not to bring hand phones and other recording devices.
Subramaniam in the letter wrote that “…the CWC as presently constituted will have to be disbanded and fresh election held.”
Subramaniam also supported his contention with evidence of transgression and irregularities.
The move to nullify the election appears to be a last ditch effort by Subramaniam to take the initiative after failing to wrest the deputy president’s post on Sept 12.
The CWC, MIC sources said, is unlikely to entertain Subramaniam’s request to disband and hold fresh elections but the party’s rank and file are expected to support the move.
A Subramaniam supporter said that if the move to nullify the election fails, Subramaniam is likely to lead an exodus of his supporters out of the MIC.
The plan is to form an NGO and gather all his supporters under the umbrella and prepare to form or join another political party if the MIC is no longer a viable vehicle for them.
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