MIC’s Subra in ‘hot soup’ again

(Malaysian Mirror) – The MIC Central Working Committee (CWC) today decided to refer former MIC deputy president S Subramaniam to the party's diciplinary committee in relation to his statement in a local English tabloid about the party's election held in 1977.

Announcing this today after chairing the CWC at the party headquarters here, MIC president S Samy Vellu said that Subramaniam's statement along with the statement made by former MIC strongman V Govindaraj, was aimed at "destroying the credibility of MIC's elections" conducted all these years.

Govindaraj, a former MIC vice-president was quoted in a newspaper report yesterday as saying that he rigged the party's 1977 polls to favour Samy Vellu who contested against Subramaniam for the deputy president's post that year where Subramaniam lost by 26 votes.

Samy: There will be an inquiry

In the newspaper report, Subramaniam was reported as saying that Govindaraj had confessed to him and another former vice president (the late) K Pathmanaban about stealing the votes and he (Subramaniam) chose not to wallow over the misfortune he suffered.

"There will be an inquiry…he will be called by the diciplinary committee to answer all accusations and bring (show) proof," said Samy Vellu when asked whether there was a possibility that Subramaniam would be sacked from the party.

Samy Vellu who is backing G Palanivel against Subramaniam for the deputy presidency in party elections on Sept 12, said that any further action by the diciplinary committee on the matter would only be after the election.

Samy Vellu said legal action would also be taken against Govindaraj as well as against the English newspaper and the writer.

Contacted by Bernama, Subramaniam said he would hold a press conference tomorrow to comment on the matter.

Affecting racial harmony

On the Shah Alam Hindu temple relocation issue, Samy Vellu said if each time the construction of a temple or relocation is opposed by certain quarters, then there would be no place for Hindus to build temples in this country, a right he said that was enshrined in the country's constitution.

The former minister said that there were temples located next to mosques in Melaka and Penang without any problems, adding that what happened in Shah Alam including the cow head issue, could destroy the unity and racial harmony in this country, if left unchecked.

Following the protest, the Selangor government temporarily deferred the relocation of the Maha Mariamman temple from Section 19 to Section 23.