AIMST row: MIC issues a challenge

We are willing to open our books for inspection, says vice-president M Saravanan.

PETALING JAYA: MIC, which runs the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST), is willing to allow a thorough probe on allegations of financial irregularities involving a cafeteria business at the institute, which has been accorded university status.

But the probe must be conducted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) or the police, MIC vice-president and AIMST board of director M Saravanan said.

“We are willing to open our books for the MACC [to investigate] and not to any Tom, Dick and Harry. Some people feel that they can make any allegation even if it is false. There are no irregularities in the running of AIMST or its cafeteria. If you have doubts, please feel free to lodge a report to the relevant authorities, including the MACC,” he told FMT when contacted.

“We will coperate with the authorities, not with someone who is not even a MIC member. The opposition has no right to ask for explanation on the matter. We will explain the problems if they are MIC members who have contributed in the setting up of AIMST. If this fails, then please feel free to lodge a report to the MACC,” he said.

“If I came out with an allegation against PKR, will the party allow me to look at its documents? It’s the same here. Use the proper channel to probe us. Last week, a PKR leader allegedly said he had a camera recording of a MIC leader with a prostitute but when we asked for evidence, they stay silent. Do not use MIC for your own political gimmicks,” added Saravanan.

Over the last two weeks, PKR national strategy and policy bureau secretary S Gobikrishnan has been making allegations of financial irregularities in the running of the AIMST cafeteria.

On Tuesday, he alleged that two audit reports on AIMST University had found irregularities, including alleged false claims and “preferential treatment” accorded to Jaya Cafe Holdings Sdn Bhd, which runs the eatery.

‘Don’t use MIC as punching bag’

MIC Youth treasurer J Dhinagaran is one of the directors of Jaya Cafe alongside party Youth chief T Mohan.

Yesterday, MIC supreme council member S Vell Paari said he had asked Dhinagaran to respond to the allegation as it involves a business entity owned by him.

Vell Paari, son of former MIC supremo S Samy Vellu, had said that Dhinagaran would prepare a detailed report on the matter for Gobi’s convenience.

“I would also like to invite DAP MP Tony Pua to accompany Gobi to study and explain the report to the latter,” he said.

Upon studying the report, Vell Paari said Gobi could choose to apologise to Dhinagaran if there are no irregularities in the cafeteria business to avoid any legal action from the MIC leader.

“If Gobi is not satisfied with the report, he can always lodge a report with the relevant authorities to get to the bottom of the matter,” he said

Mohan, meanwhile, had denied any misappropriation of funds in the running of the cafe but welcomed any probe by the authorities to clear his name.

Saravanan said the AIMST board of directors viewed the allegations seriously but have found no mismanagement in the running of the cafe.

“If we are to respond to all the allegations hurled at us, then we would be explaining all the time… when do you work then? If the opposition had evidence of mismanagement, all they have to do is submit it to the MACC or the police. Why make a spectacle out of it?

“I feel some people are trying really hard to win seats to contest under the opposition party, so they try to be champions of Indians just before the general election. If you want a seat, do not smear names, get your seat through your own capability. If you are good enough, the seat will be given to you.

“Do not use the MIC as a punching bag to obtain a ticket to contest,” said Saravanan, who is Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Deputy Minister.