Utusan defends Najib over MIC leadership crisis

Utusan Malaysia in its editorial defends Datuk Seri Najib Razak after MIC's Datuk Seri G. Palanivel blames him for having a hand in the Indian party's crisis. – The Malaysian Insider filepic, June 21, 2015.

Umno mouthpiece, Utusan Malaysia, has come to the defence of Barisan Nasional (BN) chief Datuk Seri Najib Razak, saying that only weak leaders will blame others for their shortcomings, after MIC chief Datuk Seri G. Palanivel blamed him for the party’s current infighting.

Awang Selamat, the collective pseudonym for the papers collective editorial team, said it was no surprise that Palanivel would have made such a statement.

"Weak and less charismatic leaders like Palani will point fingers at others to cover up their
shortcomings.

"Awang does not want to side with anyone but feels MIC and the Indian community deserved to have more competent leaders," Awang Selamat wrote in the Malay daily’s weekend edition, Mingguan Malaysia.

Awang Selamat also advised Palanivel to take responsibility for the situation MIC is currently in. MIC is BN’s largest ethnic Indian party.

"Do not blame the floor if you can't dance. That's Awang’s advice to Palanivel."

At a rally to declare support for him at the Putra World Trade Centre yesterday‎, Palanivel had said Najib sided with the Registrar of Societies (RoS) and put pressure on MIC to reject the party polls held in 2013.

‎"Barisan Nasional and the PM himself got involved in putting pressure on MIC to reject the results of our validated 2013 elections and took sides with our detractors," he had said during his speech to the cheers of thousands who had come to show their support for him.

"This is the greatest challenge MIC has faced in its 70 years of history. The issue is simple and clear.

“This is a battle between right and wrong. Between justice and unlawfulness. Between order and chaos. Between good and evil."

The MIC saga erupted following differences in opinion between Palanivel and his deputy Datuk Seri S. Subramaniam after RoS issued a notice last December 5 directing the party to hold fresh elections for three vice-presidential and 23 central working committee posts.

The RoS had nullified the elections held in November 2013 following complaints of irregularities and ordered fresh polls to be held.

Palanivel took his case to the High Court but last Monday his two judicial review applications to quash the RoS directive to hold new elections were dismissed.

The court upheld the registrar’s decision for the party to hold re-elections at all levels (branches and divisions), including the president’s post.

The crisis also saw both Palanivel and Subramaniam claiming to be the party chief.