Abdullah: I suggested Samy Vellu retires, but he refused

Former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi says he suggested to S Samy Vellu to retire as MIC president about a year before the 2008 general election, but the latter flatly refused.

"Almost a year before the election, I congratulated him for setting up a university and told him he had done well for the Indian community, but perhaps, he may want to retire while the going was good," Abdullah revealed in his book, ‘Awakening: The Abdullah Badawi Years in Malaysia'.

"But Samy was adamant and wanted to stay on."

Abdullah also conceded that he was not particularly pleased with Samy's way of handling issues, but had little option but to try to engage with him, since was an elected MIC president.

"I was not entirely happy with the manner he handled some of these issues but he was the leader chosen by MIC so I had to deal with him come what may, despite his shortcomings," he said.

"I persuaded him. But there is a limit to what we can do because we are a coalition."

[More to follow]