‘MIC looks like a pensioners’ club’

Taman Dagang Jaya MIC branch chairman K Sathasivam says president G Palanivel's choice for new leaders will lead the party to its political demise.

PETALING JAYA: MIC president G Palanivel is taking the party to its political demise by appointing senior citizens and deadwood to the Central Working Committee (CWC), said Taman Dagang Jaya MIC branch chairman K Sathasivam.

“The party’s new leadership line-up looks like a pensioners’ club,”said Sathasivam.

Yesterday, Palanivel announced that Shah Alam MIC deputy division chairman A Prakash Rao will succeed A Sakthivel as the party’s new secretary-general.

Palanivel also dropped his ally, Jaspal Singh, and replaced him with strategy bureau vice-director R Ramanan as the party’s new treasurer-general.

MIC Selangor information chief L Siva Subramaniam was also appointed as the party’s information chief.

However, it was Palanivel’s choice for the seven appointed CWC members that drew the ire of several MIC members.

Those appointed as CWC members are K Kumaran, KS Nijhar, Senator V Subramaniam, Johor state assemblyman K Ravenkumar, former Johor MIC chief KS Balakrishnan, Raub MIC division chief K Tamil Selvam and Telok Kemang MIC division chairman R Balakrishnan.

Sathasivam said five out of the seven leaders were aged 60 and above.

“One of them will even turn 80 next year. What is the point of appointing senior citizens when your objective is to infuse more youngsters to rejuvenate the party?” asked Sathasivam.

The MIC leader said there was a ‘hidden hand’ involved in the recent appointments but refused to divulge details.

“I will expose the person when the time comes,” said Sathasivam.

Palanivel also dropped his allies Serdang MIC division chief N Rawisandran and Selangor MIC secretary K Parthiban from the line-up.

Party strategy director S Vell Paari has claimed that he was offered a CWC post but he had turned it down.

Meanwhile, new secretary-general Prakash Rao said he was honoured to be given the post and thanked Palanivel for having confidence in him.

“I will work with my other comrades to help improve education and economic opportunities for Indians and solve the social problems faced by the community,” he told FMT.

Prakash Rao said he would look into the claims of irregularities in the party polls as soon as possible.

The new treasurer-general Ramanan praised Palanivel for doing a great job in defending the rights of the Indian community.

“MIC is giant party but it was in a slumber. We have now awakened to the reality and needs of the new generation of Indians in Malaysia.

“Palanivel has made positive changes with a team mixed with fresh and experienced faces, and we are now moving forward at a renewed pace,” he said.