Trouble brewing within MIC

Dr S Vijendran's credibility as G Palanivel's political secretary is being questioned following disclosures that he is a bankrupt.

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC, touted as the largest Indian-based party in the country, may implode after the next general election, party insiders revealed today.

The source of discontent is party chief G Palanivel’s political secretary Dr S Vijendran.

Yesterday, local Tamil daily, Makkal Osai, raised doubts over the appointment of Vijendran as the political secretary to Palanivel.

The Tamil daily claimed that Vijendran, who is better known as Dr Vijay, was in fact declared a bankrupt. The newspaper also disclosed a set of documents as evidence to back its claims.

According to the documents, which were also seen by FMT, Vijay was declared a bankrupt on March 1, 2012, by the Department of Insolvency.

Also disclosed was a letter which raised several questions over his appointment as political secretary. Vijendran had allegedly not taken the oath to be a political secretary of a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.

The other important questions raised were:

• Who endorsed Vijendran’s appointment?
• Does Palanivel know that his political secretary is a bankrupt?
• Did Palanivel breach the law in allowing Vijendran to function as a political secretary?
• What is Vijendran’s role in approving RM180 million to the Indian applicants as it is believed that Vijendran played a vital role in the RM180 million special allocation to the Indian entrepreneurs.

Many scandals since Palani took over

Speaking to FMT recently, party insiders said Vijendran’s appointment as political secretary was only one of many scandals that has risen since Palanivel took over the MIC presidency in 2010

“Since Palanivel took over the presidency, a lot of scandals have blown up involving senior MIC leaders.

“Palanivel’s support letter to a private company to get RM5 million to run a private show in Astro, an anonymous letter on party vice-president M Saravanan’s alleged involvement in vice activities and exposéof AIMST University’s mismanagement are a few issues showing that there is internal strife in MIC,” said the insider.

He added that the latest revelation was yet another bid to kill both Vijendran and Palanivel’s political careers.

According to him, the party members are keeping silent in view of the general election.

“It is obvious that there will be a big fight in the party after the election,” he said.