ROS probes MIC

The Registrar of Societies has started its probe on MIC and is expected to announce its decision soon, says Deputy Home Minister

PETALING JAYA: The Registrar of Societies (RoS) is in the midst of investigating complaints related to the alleged breach in the MIC constitution.

Confirming this today, Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the ROS was studying the complaint against the party and “it will announce its decision to the press soon”.

“Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is also looking into the matter…the ROS will leave no stones unturned,” he told FMT when contacted.

The deputy minister said this when asked to comment on a ROS complaint by SS2 Tengah MIC branch chairman S Padnmanagan last month claiming that the party failed to conduct its internal polls within the stipulated three-year period.

The grassroot leader has also sent a legal notice to the ROS wanting to know the status of the investigation on the matter.

The MIC is currently undergoing a constitutional crisis over its polls.

Acting president G Palanivel has obtained the approval of the party’s central working committee (CWC) for branch polls to be held this December, which means the election of the president and other top office bearers would likely be delayed until next year.

Those opposed to the CWC decision want the branch elections to be held as soon as possible because the term of the current leadership has already exceeded the three-year limit set in the party constitution.

MIC held its last election in 2009. Then party supremo S Samy Vellu retained the presidency, but he stepped down in 2010 and Palanivel took over as acting president.

Under MIC’s system, the president is picked not by divisional delegates but the 3,800 branch leaders. The party conducts its presidential election three months before electing a deputy president, three vice presidents and 23 CWC members.

The branch elections should have begun in February last year, but the party decided on a postponement to allow it to prepare for the 13th general election instead.

Meanwhile ROS when contacted could not provide a comment on the matter.

“Yes we are looking at the complaint but I am not allowed to issue statements. Only our director general, Abdul Rahman Othman, can do so. He will do so through the national news agency, Bernama,” said an aide to Rahman who declined to be named.

The MIC risks being deregistered if it is found guilty of flouting the party constitution and the Societies Act.