KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 ― Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir today blasted MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel over the latter’s “ridiculous” threat to boycott the Perak administration if the Indian party does not get the state Speaker post, calling the warning premature and “irresponsible”.
Last week, Palanivel said MIC would forego all government posts in Perak if the state Speaker, a post he said “belonged to [MIC]”, is not chosen from its ranks.
“Why did he (Palanivel) make that ridiculous statement? If I have stated that we would nominate someone from Umno, MCA or Gerakan (to be Speaker), he can voice it out... but I did not make such a statement,” Zambry was quoted as saying by state news agency Bernama at an Ipoh event today.
“It is an irresponsible statement, made without knowing the actual situation,” he added.
He further said it was not his place to name the appointee ahead of the inaugural assembly sitting.
“This is not something that I can announce on my own,” the Perak mentri besar was quoted by The Star Online today.
“On my part, I have already selected the candidates for the special officer and advisor for the Indian community and it is being processed by the state secretary.”
Earlier, Palanivel pressed Zambry (picture) to address the Indian party’s demands.
He reminded the second-term Umno mentri besar that the Indian community had given much of its support to BN’s candidates in Election 2013, helping the pact recapture the silver state after a divisive polls.
In Election 2008, the Cameron Highlands MP added, the Indian community had fled BN’s side and supported the opposition, leading to BN’s fall at the time.
“When the opposition was ruling we had an Indian Speaker. When BN took over an Indian Speaker was appointed,” he pointed out.
When Pakatan Rakyat ruled Perak between 2008 and 2009, the pact appointed then Tronoh assemblyman V. Sivakumar as Speaker ― the first Indian in the state to be given the post.
When BN wrested the state back from PR a year later, Perak MIC chief Datuk R. Ganesan replaced Sivakumar in the Speaker’s chair.
On Saturday, Palanivel said the MIC will reject all government posts in Perak if the state government refuses to award the Speaker post to one of its party leaders.
In a statement to the press, the MIC chief said his party would only stay BN-friendly in Perak but would not accept any state executive councillor post in the Umno-heavy state leadership.
The party would also reject appointments to the posts of special officer and adviser to the mentri besar, the Cameron Highlands MP said.
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