MIC chief: I will stick to my succession plan
(NST) – Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, who had promised to step down as MIC president in 2012, will not quit immediately at Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's behest.
He said he would stick to the succession plan he had discussed with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in June.
"He is aware of my retirement plan. I will keep to my word to the prime minister and I will not change (my plan)," he said when asked to comment on the former prime minister's call to quit because of a perceived failure in leadership.
In an interview with Bernama yesterday, Dr Mahathir said that Samy Vellu would be a liability to Barisan Nasional in the next general election if he stayed on as MIC chief.
He said that he was worried that support for BN would erode and the coalition would be the victim if Samy Vellu was leading the MIC at the next general election.
Samy Vellu told the New Straits Times that he had had a frank discussion with Najib when he met him in Sarawak.
He declined to state the succession plan or who would take over.
"This information is between the prime minister and me," he said, adding that Dr Mahathir was entitled to his opinion.
"I am not hurt by his comments and my respect for him will never diminish."
However, Samy Vellu said he was sad that Dr Mahathir had labelled him a liability now "but when BN was winning in general elections, I was considered an asset."
"I am not at all surprised… But I think he refuses to understand that the BN losses in the last general election were not because of me.
"An experienced man (politician) like him should understand that."
Samy Vellu described Dr Mahathir's comments as akin to praising a wife for her beauty and an asset when young but branding her a liability when she became old.
MIC vice-president Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said the leadership of any political party was decided by its members.
"The members decide whether to give or withdraw the mandate and if a decision is made by the members, it should be respected by the other BN component parties."
Subramaniam said any attempt by any leader from within or outside BN to destabilise the party could have a repercussions in BN.
"It will be better if all BN leaders avoided commenting about other parties," said Subramaniam.
Former MIC vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan, who contested the deputy presidency in the recent party elections, said: "I voted for a leadership change but this was rejected. I am all for it."
