Woman seeks to be party in suit on Samy Vellu’s mental condition

E Meeriam Rosaline with her lawyers, RSN Rayer and Ramesh Sivakumar (right), at the Ipoh High Court. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: A woman who claims to be a companion of former MIC president S Samy Vellu will apply to be a party in a suit brought by Vell Paari to get an order that his father is mentally unsound.

E Meeriam Rosaline’s lawyer RSN Rayer said the application to intervene in the suit, filed in a High Court in Kuala Lumpur, would be made in a day or two.

“My client wants to intervene as she is of the opinion that Samy Vellu’s mental health is good and is able to carry out his responsibilities,” he told FMT.

Rayer said suit in Kuala Lumpur would be heard on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Rayer, who is appearing together with Ramesh Sivakumar, said Meeriam’s application for an interim order from the High Court in Ipoh to have unrestricted access to the former MIC president has been adjourned.

He said Vell Paari’s lawyers wanted a stay of the hearing in Ipoh pending the outcome of the decision whether Samy Vellu, who was former works minister, is mentally unsound.

Judge Hashim Hazmah has fixed Jan 17 to hear the stay application.

FMT yesterday reported that Meeriam, who has named Samy Vellu, 82, and Vell Paari, as respondents, wants a court order that she have unrestricted access to the former MIC president.

She also wants her monthly RM25,000 maintenance payment to be continued pending the outcome of her main suit.

The RM25,000 is for her personal needs, as well to cover the salary of her housemaid and maintenance costs for her home, which she said was gifted to her by Samy Vellu.

In the suit filed last August, Meeriam wants a declaration that she be given due recognition and accepted as part of Samy Vellu’s family.

She also wants to contact and visit Samy Vellu with no restrictions imposed by any other family members, including Vell Paari.

She said Vell Paari has disempowered Samy Vellu financially and taken control over his finances since 2017 and completely denied payment of maintenance to her.

Meeriam, in her affidavit in support of the suit, said she had entered into a quasi-spousal union with Samy Vellu since 1981 and has documentary evidence to support her claim.

Ramesh told Bernama that Meeriam and Samy Vellu had a customary marriage at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur in 1981, and that the marriage was valid according to the law because it took place before 1982 when all non-Islamic marriages were required to be registered.

Meeriam told reporters she last met Samy Vellu six months ago in Kuala Lumpur and said he was in a good condition, including mentally.

“I met him for about one hour and he advised me not to worry, not to go to Kuala Lumpur and that he would come to Ipoh,” she said. - FMT