Palanivel trying to have MIC deregistered, claims former CWC member

Former MIC's central working committee (CWC) Datuk R. Ramanan accuses the party president of being reluctant to open the president's post for contest. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufari, January 4, 2015.

MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel has been accused of deliberately trying to deregister the party as there is no initiative taken towards re-election as requested by the Registrar of Societies (RoS).

Former MIC's central working committee (CWC) Datuk R. Ramanan, who was among key party members ousted by Palanivel yesterday, said the party is at risk of being de-registered and the party president appeared reluctant to hold a re-election, and open the president's post for contest.

Palanivel’s move comes in the wake of a decision by the RoS on December 5 to nullify the election of three vice-presidents and 23 members of the central committee at the party elections in 2013.

RoS recommended that the posts be re-elected within 90 days, following alleged irregularities and breach of the party’s constitution and the Societies Act.

"I was shocked when Palanivel said a meeting that he did not want the president's post to be contested."

Ramanan said in the meeting, Palanivel promised to meet the RoS with his deputy president but had gone there alone instead two days later after being advised by his wife, Datin P. Kanagam.

He said all this while, it was Kanagam who was responsible for making many party decisions during Palanivel's absence.

"This party is being led by Datin Seri Kanagam... not Palanivel. Many party decisions were made at the president's house without his presence.

"If Kanagam believes she can run and manage this party, then she must contest. Don't hide behind her husband," said Ramanan.

In order to resolve the issues plaguing the party, he urged deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam and vice-president Datuk M. Saravanan to step forward and save the 68-year-old party from being deregistered.

On the reason he was dropped from the CWC, Ramanan believed it was because he had voiced out during meetings on the party's need for fresh elections and change.

"Fresh elections are still the best avenue."

“I don’t understand what’s the big problem if we have a re-election or fresh elections… didn’t Palanivel himself say he is going to step down on March 2016 to the PM? This was the agreement, (but) what I’m feeling right now is that he is going to make a U-turn.”

He asked if it was Palanivel’s agenda all along to remain in power by deregistering the party and forming a new party comprising of his supporters.

“I believe Palanivel’s intention is to eliminate his political enemies via this cowardly way.”

Ramanan said he suggested fresh elections because they would rectify its current problems.

“If we start from the bottom, we will rectify from the ground up. That’s why fresh elections are the best avenue,” he said, adding that a re-election would only compound the problem as the losers would lodge a complaint with the RoS and MIC would be facing the same problem again.

He said Palanivel should take RoS' recommendations seriously as the deadline was tomorrow.

RoS has given MIC 30 days to complete the re-election process at its branches, 60 days to rectify the problems within division, and 90 days to solve the CWC and vice-presidential problems.

MIC Youth chief C. Sivarraajh urged Palanivel to review his decision to appoint Datuk Kumar Silambaram as the new secretary-general, replacing A. Prakash Rao, saying there were other more capable leaders.

Palanivel, in a statement released yesterday, announced that Ramalingam Krishnamoorthy would be the new strategic director of MIC replacing S. Vell Paari while Kumar would take over as secretary-general.

Also appointed were three new members to the CWC. They are Karuppanan Malairaja (Penang), Datuk Ganesan Subramaniam (Kedah) and Ganesan Thankaveloo (Selangor).

They trio will be taking over from Tan Sri Dr K.S. Nijhar, Ramanan and Datuk K. S. Balakrishnan.

- TMI