MIC fumes over Anwar's 'chair throwing' remarks, demands apology

MIC has demanded an apology from Anwar Ibrahim for linking the BN component party to the chair-throwing incident that took place during the PKR polls.

According to MIC vice-president T Mohan, the PKR president-elect's remarks were also tantamount to slandering the Indian community.

“It appears that Anwar is bankrupt of ideas to the point of having to drag in the Indian community to address the weakness in his own party,” he told Malaysiakini.

“Anwar's statement gives the impression that Indians are those who throw chairs. But the whole of Malaysia knows PKR is known for their thug-like activities such as throwing chairs, seizing ballot papers and so forth,” he added.

Yesterday, Anwar had vowed to expel PKR members involved in the chair-throwing incident in Penang and the brawl in Kedah.

“They think this is MIC… wrong party. MIC is famous for throwing chairs, so with MIC no more now, they are the ones replacing those who 'baling kerusi' (throw chairs),” he reportedly said.

'PKR polls plagued with flying chairs'

Commenting further, Mohan claimed that PKR elections have been plagued with chaotic incidents since 2010. 

That year's Kota Raja division polls saw the division chief, who is now a federal minister, allegedly trying to attack another candidate. 

"The 2014 party polls were riddled with cheating and the most memorable – the flying-chair incident, which was widely covered by the media then. Now the flying-chair incident has happened again. So, who are the 'experts' in throwing chairs? Let the rakyat decide," said Mohan, who is also a senator. 

Last Saturday, ruckus after a press conference by the PKR election committee in Seberang Jaya, Penang, saw a chair being flung, reportedly injuring at least one person.

This happened as some members were not happy with the election commission's announcement that all polling results from Kedah would be invalidated due to technical problems in the e-voting system. 

Thus, Mohan said that MIC is willing to "educate" PKR on how to conduct its election in a peaceful and orderly manner. 

"We urge Anwar to apologise to MIC, and the Indian community, and stop the slander," he added.  - Mkini