I didn’t wave a gun, so how could I threaten anyone, asks MIC veep

The picture of MIC vice-president Datuk M. Saravanan with a gun tucked at his side. – Facebook pic, January 30, 2015.MIC vice-president Datuk M. Saravanan appears to have gotten himself into a spot over a photograph of him being circulated on Facebook which shows a gun tucked in the trousers.

The picture taken at the height of the tension outside the MIC headquarters during a standoff with guards on Wednesday gave the impression that the youth and sports deputy minister was trying to subtly intimidate the guards.

“It is nothing like that. My coat moved a bit and the gun’s grip showed. I have been carrying a gun for the last 15 years, did not point it to anyone. So how can I threaten anyone?” he told The Malaysian Insider by phone today.

Saravanan said although he had been provided security by the police, he still kept a Glock.

“I renew my licence every year and I often leave it in the car when I attend functions or events,” he said, adding that he forgot to leave it in the car that day.

During Wednesday’s standoff, Saravanan received a death threat from an anonymous caller. He subsequently lodged a police report.

MIC deputy president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam and Saravanan, were stopped by party security officials from entering the headquarters.

MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel and Subramaniam yesterday agreed on a moratorium to discuss the current party crisis with Barisan Nasional chief Datuk Seri Najib Razak to prevent the situation from escalating.

He said the moratorium would give the warring factions a period of “non-crisis“ to work on the next course of action.

“We will meet and decide on the next course of action that will satisfy all quarters as soon as possible.

“I agreed to a moratorium to allow both sides to discuss with the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak as chairman of BN to find the best way forward to resolve the crisis,” he said in a brief statement yesterday.

MIC has been in crisis after the Registrar of Societies (RoS) found irregularities in the party polls and ordered it to conduct fresh elections.

The RoS directive also sparked fears that failure to conduct fresh polls would result in the party's deregistration.

Both Subramaniam and Saravanan were trying to enter the party headquarters to hold a press conference over Palanivel’s decision to remove several MIC state leaders – a move seen by his critics as an attempt to further consolidate his hold on the party.

In the changes to state party chiefs, Saravanan was replaced as Federal Territory state liaison committee chairman with Datuk Rajoo Vyraperumal, while Tan Sri Ramasamy Muthusamy took over from Palanivel as Perak chief.

Datuk Ganesan Arumugam was named as new Negri Sembilan state liaison committee chief, taking over from Datuk S. Sothinathan.

Subramaniam and Saravanan have been urging Palanivel to respond to the RoS findings that the elections of its central working committee members in 2013 were problematic and that fresh polls should be held.

Palanivel has been accused of stalling by both, but the MIC chief has insisted he was doing his best to resolve the situation.

- TMI