Palanivel takes over as Perak MIC chief

The party president wants to lead the charge in the state to win over the hearts and minds of the people.

KUALA LUMPUR : MIC president G Palanivel has taken over the chairmanship of Perak MIC with immediate effect. He replaces veteran party leader S Veerasingam.

Palanivel today said he made the decision in a move to strengthen the MIC’s base in Perak.

“The state MIC needs to focus itself on strengthening not only the party but it’s voters reach-out,” he said in a statement.

“Perak is an important state for the MIC and Barisan Nasional. While everybody might be under the presumption that our votes are coming back, we have to continue our efforts to win over the hearts and minds of the people.”

He said the youth and middle-aged groups were going to be very important decision-makers in the next general election.

Palanivel, who is also the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, also dismissed talk that his takeover from Veerasingam was a sudden decision. He said that he had given much thought over his decision to takeover the state leadership.

He said he would soon have a meeting with division heads in Perak.

Palanivel said the entire focus of the Perak MIC should be on facing the forthcoming general election.

In the 2008 general election, MIC contested in the Hutan Melintang, Behrang, Sungkai and Pasir Panjang state seats and Tapah and Sungai Siput parliamentary seats in Perak.

However it only managed to retain the Tapah parliamentary seat through party vice president M Saravanan.