MIC & MCA
By Syed Akbar Ali
Well the MIC has its party elections today, Saturday 12 September 2009. The gist of it should be that Samy Vellu must retire from his perch in the party.
If Samy Vellu still remains in power, the MIC may get yet another round of drubbing at the next polls. The BN is going to suffer too.
But too late, Samy has already been returned unopposed for another term (he has been party boss since the 20th century).
Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club deputy chairman Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin has said that Samy Vellu should consider relinquishing the party’s helm so its internal crisis could be resolved. He said the crisis affecting the MIC could eventually spill over and affect the entire Barisan Nasional.
For once I agree with Bung. While we are at it, we also need change in Sarawak (Bung is from Sabah). Sarawak really needs a new Chief Minister. Why? Just to show the world (and the voters) that there is a Sarawak beyond Taib Mahmud.
Coming back to Samy, there are two issues – the Indians at large and the MIC. The two are not the same anymore. The majority of Indians did not support the MIC in 2008. Samy got unceremoniously kicked out from Sungei Siput in 2008.
Now with a by election coming up in Bagan Pinang, Negeri Sembilan where 20% of the voters are Indian, we will be able to test the ground for Indian support of the BN. My view is that this time round the Indians in Bagan Pinang will be tough nuts to crack – the cow head issue is still fresh in their minds. The BN will be hard put to get all the Indian votes. There is a 10% Chinese vote too which is almost surely gone from the BN. That leaves the 70% Malay vote which may have now swung a bit more to the BN.
Samy Vellu’s presence does not cut any ice with the Indians anymore. In fact it may be working against eveyone’s interest for him to be still around as MIC chief.
