MIC’s new senate picks causing concern

A storm is brewing in the MIC over the rumoured appointment of two leaders from the Petaling Jaya Selatan division to fill two vacant senator post.

KUALA LUMPUR: Petaling Jaya Selatan MIC chief V Subramaniam and division Wanita head A Sivabagiam have been picked by the MIC leadership to fill the two senators post left vacant by the party.

Party sources claimed that the two vacant positions will go to the division following the expiry of senatorship terms of MIC Puteri chief J Usha Nandhini and Federal Territory deputy chairman Chandrasehkar Suppiah, on July 14, this year.

Sources also revealed that these two new appointments will not go down well with party members and leaders alike as both the nominees were from the same division.

The two are also said to be closely aligned to MIC president G Palanivel.

Subramaniam, better known as Barat Maniam, is a veteran MIC leader who was once closely associated with former MIC supremo S Samy Vellu.

The two were at loggerheads last year which resulted in the sacking of Subramaniam from the party.

However, after Palanivel took over the party at the end of 2010, he readmitted the grassroots leader to the party.

Contacted today, Subramaniam however said he did not know anything about the appointment.

‘I cannot comment on this. I have not been informed of anything,” Subramaniam told FMT.

President’s ‘men’

While these two appointments could be mere speculation, sources say it would severely undermine Palanivel’s leadership if it was true.

“We have a president who talks about merits…but if two people from the same division are appointed as senators it will only go to show that he is merely paying lip service and practising cronyism.

“This would be a clear cut case and this would definitely undermine whatever he has said over the last one year about his style of leadership,” said a source.

Palanivel himself has gone on record to say that the two vacant senators post would be given to a senior leader and a youth wing leader.

“Giving the senatorship to Subramaniam would be acceptable but giving the Youth wing quota to the Wanita is like opening a can of worms.

“Everyone in the party knows that MIC Youth chief T Mohan is not in the good books of Palanivel…this will only start factionalism in the party.

“The Youth wing will move away from Palanivel,” said a MIC leader who declined to be named.

‘Truly unfair’

Several state MIC leaders are also said to be “unhappy” with the rumoured appointment of two leaders from the same division as senators.

A party leader from Kedah said the move was “truly unfair” and demanded that a senator’s post be allocated to a leader from the state.

“We desperately need a senator’s post to convince Indians in Kedah that MIC still has clout despite the state being ruled by Pakatan Rakyat.

“We need the post to voice out problems hampering Indians in Kedah,” he said.

MIC has a total six senatorships.

Apart from the vacant two seats, the other senator’s post are held by Palanivel, MIC central working committee member Daljit Singh, Tapah MIC division chief S Malasingham and Penang MIC head PK Subbaiyah

Meanwhile sources also say that Palanivel would be swearing-in as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department on Friday.

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak announced Palanivel’s appointment as minister at the 65th MIC annual general assembly on Saturday.