Samy: ‘I will step down if Palanivel feels he’s ready to take over’

(The Star) – MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said he was prepared to hand over the leadership of the party “tomorrow” if his deputy Datuk G. Palanivel was ready.

“I am ready to let go (of the position). I am ready to go. Monday… or even tomorrow if Palanivel feels that he is ready to take over the party leadership. I am ready to pass the leadership to him.

“I have no problem. It is not like I want to hold on to this post forever. But there are many things that need to be resolved (for the party and community),” he told MStar Online.

Samy Vellu, who became party acting president in 1979 before elected as MIC president in 1981, was re-elected for his 11th consecutive term in April.

The former Works Minister said he would have a discussion with Palanivel when the latter returned from India.

“I will meet him to discuss this…to ask if he is ready to take over as president. And if he is, I will hand it over to him,” he said.

Palanivel successfully defended his deputy president’s post in the recent party elections on Sept 12.

However, Samy Vellu reiterated that the party would face many problems if he were to step down now.

“There are many things that need to be settled. I have many things to do. I want to ensure that they are all resolved and the party is in good shape before handing it over to my successor,” he said.

He said the top leadership line-up was still fresh although they had been old faces in the party.

“They are old faces in the party (as members), but they are a new leadership line-up which had just been elected,” he said.

When contacted by The Star, Samy Vellu said he had agreed to meet Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to discuss MIC’s leadership succession.

He said he would contact Najib next week to set a time and date for the meeting.

Asked if he would stick to his earlier plan to step down when his term expires in 2012, he said: “I don’t want to say anything about it. I want to let the issue die down”.

Former vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan, who contested against Palanivel for the deputy presidency, said he hoped the issue would be addressed as soon as possible.

“It is a good idea for the Prime Minister to address the issue as he has to look at the perception of the public,” he said.

Newly elected vice-president Datuk S.K. Devamany said Najib’s gesture to discuss a long lingering issue was appreciated.

“Let both leaders sit down and discuss. It is time for us to sit at the table rather than go through the media,” he said.

Former treasurer-general Tan Sri M. Mahalingam said the discussion between Prime Minister and party president was not new to MIC.

He recounted how MIC’s fifth president, Tun V.T. Sambanthan, stepped down in 1973 to make way for Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam after a discussion with then Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak.

Asked if the meeting with Najib and Samy Vellu would have a similar outcome, Mahalingam said: “We don’t know what they have discussed so I cannot comment.”