MIED will remain in MIC, says Samy

KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 — Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has denied accusations that he will hijack MIC”s RM1 billion education wing, claiming that such allegations were an attempt to divide the party by causing a rift between the former party president and his successor Datuk G. Palanivel.

In a press statement today, the MIED chairman said that the two leaders have constantly discussed matters concerning the Maju Institute of Educational Development (MIED) and that the 10 members to be added to the body were all MIC leaders or educationists.

“I wish to deny the allegations made by certain quarters that there are attempts to so-call hijack the MIED from the MIC.

These are merely attempts by desperate and unscrupulous people bent on destroying the MIED and also to destabilize the MIC and cause a rift between me and Palanivel. The MIED will remain part of the MIC,” he said.

“They are all MIC-linked people,” Samy added, referring to the 10 invited to join MIED.

The Malaysian Insider had reported yesterday that the two leaders were heading towards their first open power struggle over the control of MIED which Samy has chaired since it was formed in 1984.

It is understood that the party”s senior leadership is unhappy at the proposal to increase MIED”s membership without first being vetted by the central working committee (CWC).

One committee member, Tan Sri Dr K. S. Nijhar has asked Samy to postpone the board meeting until it has been discussed by the party leadership, the first time that a trustee has protested such a decision.

V. Mugilan, who was sacked as deputy youth chief by Samy last year, also told The Malaysian Insider that a protest will be held on Monday when the MIED board of trustees meets to approve the membership increase.

However, Samy, who stepped down as MIC president last December, claimed today that half of the new members were part of the CWC.

MIED current membership of 34 is empowered to elect the chairman of the 10-strong board of trustees.

It is understood that the board can increase MIED”s membership without limit.

Samy also said that he will instruct his lawyers to take action against those who have made allegations that he was attempting to take full control of MIED.

MIED now manages the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST) University that was established in 1996 with MIED funding.

Samy had then said that he had founded MIED and AIMST outside of his capacity as party president. - Malaysian Insider