MIC says time's right for second minister from the party

The MIC will request for another full minister's post after former party president G Palanivel was droppped in the Cabinet reshuffle last July, said its president Dr S Subramaniam.

MIC had two full ministers before the reshuffle, namely Palanivel as a Natural Resources and Environment Minister and Dr Subramaniam as Health Minister.

The party also had two deputy minister posts held by P Kamalanathan (Education Ministry) and M Saravanan (Youth and Sports Ministry).

Speaking to reporters after chairing a meeting of MIC's new Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting that lasted more than two hours here today, Dr Subramaniam said he would meet Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to seek another full minister's post.

The CWC meeting was held for the first time after the party election on Nov 6 which saw competition for the post of deputy president, three vice-president seats and 23 CWC seats.

Former vice-president Saravanan and former party information chief, VS Mogan were appointed as CWC members during the meeting.

Dr Subramaniam said the appointments were made under the power of the president to appoint another nine people to the CWC.

"Seven more CWC members, including secretary-general and treasurer-general, will be appointed in about two months," he said.

Saravanan (681 votes) lost to SK Devamany (698 votes) in the tussle for the deputy president post.

In the contest for the vice-president seats, Mogan lost to two former youth chiefs, SA Vigneswaran and T Mohan, and former treasurer-general Jaspal Singh.

The meeting also agreed to set up a disciplinary committee, asset management committee, general election committee, Indian community consultative council, economic committee and education committee.

Dr Subramaniam said the setting up of the new committees was to empower the party so that it could bring back the confidence and belief of the Indian community towards the 68-year-old party.

He was also asked to comment on a report in a Tamil newspaper that Palanivel's strong supporters planned to co-operate with the new leadership of the party.

"We will hold a discussion with them in two weeks' time to find the best move so that they return to the party," he said.

- Bernama