MIC deputy president breaks silence, says sidelined in RoS meet

Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said he was sidelined by MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel in the meeting with the Registrar of Society over the party’s problems with last year’s polls. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 6, 2015.Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam today finally broke his silence on the fallout within MIC and its issues with last year's polls, saying he had been sidelined by the party's president.In what appeared to be a move to distance himself from MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel, Subramaniam, who is the deputy president, said he was compelled to speak out in response to questions posed to him by party members.He said he too was surprised to have not been included in the meeting with the Registrar of Society (RoS), despite an earlier agreement with Palanivel that they would go together to address the issues raised by RoS.In a statement today, he explained that it all started when the party received a letter from the RoS over the dispute in the last MIC elections.RoS on December 5 decided to nullify the election of three vice-presidents and 23 members of the central working committee (CWC) in the largest Indian party in the ruling coalition.After receiving the letter, he said Palanivel called for a meeting with party leaders to discuss the next course of action to take.He said that after a long discussion, it was decided that a committee, made up of party leaders and the complainant group, would be set up to discuss the best options available.The meeting, he added, also concluded that he and Palanivel would meet with RoS, bringing with them the committee's decisions.But, according to Subramaniam, Palanivel went silent after that despite him sending numerous text messages to the president to discuss the setting up of the committee."I requested to meet him but he replied that he was busy with the Cameron Highlands issues. He said that he was going to India after that and would be free to meet upon his return.Subramaniam said the Indian trip was cancelled and he had been waiting patiently ever since for Palanivel's response but to no avail.The deputy president said he was shocked when party vice-president Datuk M. Saravanan revealed that Palanivel and Senator Bharat Maniam had already met the RoS.It was also revealed that Palanivel had issued a letter on behalf of MIC to RoS on December 24.Saying that he had no knowledge on the contents of the letter, Subramaniam added today that he was also not aware that RoS had replied to the letter on December 31."Most members were waiting for the committee to be set up in order to resolve the problems internally, but until today, the plan has yet to materialise," he said.Subramaniam added that party members were pushing for answers as to why he did not go along with Palanivel to meet RoS as decided earlier."They asked in what capacity did Senator Bharat Maniam follow the president?"Why were other MIC officials, such as the vice presidents, secretary general, treasurer not included in the meeting?"Frankly, I don't have the answers. Only the president can answer them," he said.He expressed hope that good sense will prevail in the party and the proposed consultations will take place."All of us are united in the desire to ensure that the party is not deregistered and we emerge stronger from this whole unfortunate episode," Subramaniam said.Palanivel came under attack lately, with certain key members of the party questioning his moves.Among them is Datuk Seri Vell Paari, the son of former party supremo Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu who handpicked Palanivel as his successor.Vell Paari, who was dropped by the president days ago as strategic director, demanded that Palanivel divulge RoS's reply to MIC in its letter on New Year's eve.The MIC president had also been accused by former ally and ex-CWC member Datuk R. Ramanan of deliberately trying to deregister the party by stalling re-elections, saying that Palanivel appeared reluctant to hold fresh polls.He had said that this was part of Palanivel's agenda to remain in power by allowing the senior Barisan Nasional component party to be deregistered so as to form a new party comprising his supporters. – January 6, 2015.