MIC postpones party polls to next year

The postponement of party polls to the first quarter of 2014 will give party president Palanivel some breathing space to consolidate his 'weak' position.

FULL REPORT

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC wants to work towards strengthening its position among the Indian community first and as such has decided to postpone its party elections to next year.

In a move that will definitely invite criticism from his detractors, some of whom who are eyeing his party post, MIC president G Palanivel said the postponement of elections for the top posts, including the presidential election, will now be held in the first quarter of 2014.

“We have decided to postpone the presidential, CWC, state and division elections to the first quarter of next year,” Palanivel told reporters after chairing the party’s central working committee (CWC) meeting at party headquarters here this morning.

“We want to pave the way for the party to strengthen its position among the Indian community before heading for the party elections,” added Palanivel.

However, the postponement of party polls would not affect annual general meetings of all party branches.

“The branches must hold their annual general meetings before the end of this year,” he said.

He added that he had the backing of the CWC to postpone the party elections.

“The CWC members unanimously supported this decision to postpone the elections,” he said.

Palanivel also brushed off allegations that branches will hold meetings to pass a ‘no contest’ resolution for the party’s top posts. He denied asking any branches to do such a thing, adding that if they did so, then it would be on their own accord.

“I did not ask them to do such a thing, if they do, then it’s their business. If anybody wants to challenge (me), then it’s up to them,” he said.

Asked if he was expecting people to challenge him for the top post, Palanivel replied: “I am not thinking of that yet.”

The move to postpone the party elections will buy Palanivel some time to strengthen his own position within the party, especially since he is widely seen as a ‘weak’ president.

Palanivel succeeded the presidency from S Samy Vellu in 2010 and is speculated to be facing challenge from his deputy Dr S Subramaniam. The latter however has not declared publicly of his intentions.

The last party elections were held in 2009. The elections which were due in 2012 were then postponed as the party wanted to be prepared for the general election. It was then speculated that the elections would be held later this year.

Palanivel won the Cameron Highlands parliamentary seat in the recently concluded general election. He replaced SK Devamany for the seat and moved the latter to Sungai Siput. Devamany however lost there.

In the new post-GE cabinet, Palanivel was named as the Natural Resources and Environment minister. His deputy Subramaniam, the Segamat MP, was made the Health minister.

MIC objects Waytha’s role
Meanwhile Palanivel insisted that MIC would continue to look after the Indian affairs and would not allow Hindraf leader P Waythamoorthy to take control.

Waythamoorthy was named as a deputy minister by Najib and has been tasked to head a unit under the Prime Minister’s Department to look after the Indian community.

“There is no way MIC would allow Waythamoorthy to take charge of the so-called unit,” charged Palanivel.

“He (Waythamoorthy) is just an individual appointed by the prime minister but we are the one representing the Indian community,” he added.

Palanivel also said that he will be meeting the prime minister to discuss this matter.

“We believe the prime minister will listen to our request on the Indian affairs appoinments,” he said.

Statements enough
Palanivel also said that the party believed it was sufficient to issue just press statements to express its views on issues, including on the custodial deaths which by large involved Indians.

He said this when asked for the party’s stand on the death of N Darmindran while in the police custody. The police had now classified his death as murder and investigations are ongoing.

“We have issued a statement urging the police to investigate the matter. There is no need for us to form any task force (on custodial deaths).

“I believe statements are good enough to resolve the death in custody cases,” he said.

“We have always been issuing statements on custodial death cases, and we will continue to do so,” he added.