No line up from me, says Palanivel

With party polls due next month, MIC president promises that it would be free for all,, allowing those eligible to contest for national positions, without his blessings or endorsement.

PETALING JAYA: MIC president G Palanivel has promised that he will not come up with his own list of preferred leaders to hold national positions in the run up to party elections on Nov 30.

“MIC is a democratic party and anyone eligible can contest any post. Thus, I decided to let it be free,” he told reporters yesterday after chairing the party Central Working Committee(CWC) meeting.

“Everyday, I receive text messages from party members seeking my blessings [for them] to contest. I have not replied to them. There will be no ‘president’ line up in the party polls, be it [for MIC's] Women, Youth or main posts,” he added.

The newly elected president does not expect any challengers to run against his deputy Dr S Subramaniam who is keen to defend and retain his post.

“I already issued two press statements on the deputy president post where I hope Dr Subramaniam will be uncontested in the party polls,” said Palanivel.

Palanivel, the Natural Resources and Environmental minister confirmed that the MIC general assembly will be held in Malacca on Nov 30 and Dec 1, with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s attendance on the second day.

Nominations for the deputy, three vice-president and 23 CWC positions is scheduled to be held on Nov 16  and nominations for the Women and Youth division will be held on Nov 8, at MIC party head quarters.

“ The Youth and Women will have their election also on Nov 16, following their nominations on Nov 8,” he said.

Asked about irregularities in the divisional elections, Palanivel said that the party leadership has decided to hold re-elections in at least five divisions that had problems.

He declined to name the five divisions.

However party central working committee sources revealed that the five divisions ear-marked for re-elections are Wangsamaju,  Setiawangsa, Cheras,Tanjung Malim and Teluk Intan.