Thursday, January 22, 2015

'Fresh polls needed to resolve MIC internal crisis', Malaysian Reserve, 19 January 2015



Alfian ZM TahirMonday, January 19, 2015
               
The ongoing internal crisis within the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) party can only be resolved by holding an immediate fresh election – a political observer told The Malaysian Reserve.
Associate Professor Dr Sivamurugan Pandian when contacted said MIC can no longer allow its internal problem to be made public as it would waft away Indians from voting the party in the next general election.
“What is happening in MIC is due to allegation of frauds in its previous party election.
There are some who accept the result but there are also some who refuse to accept the result.
“Registrar of Society (RoS) has demanded MIC to hold a party election and that is the best way of solution for MIC. They should have an immediate party election to solve the crisis," Sivamurugan, who is the professor at School of Social Sciences in University Sains Malaysia (USM) said.
He said MIC cannot delay the party election as it would only cause more harm than good, pointing out the delay would also demotivate members and supporters and lead them to look at 'other alternatives.'
Referring to DAP as an example, Sivamurugan said MIC should learn from DAP’s case in conducting a fresh party election when it was hit with crisis in its Central Executive Committee (CEC) election in 2013.
The political analyst added the crisis in MIC will also tarnish Barisan Nasional’s image as a whole party component.
“MIC cannot let this problem to continue because it will also have an effect on BN. BN’s supporters out there will question MIC’s political legitimacy.
“It should stop immediately and they should learn from DAP on how they resolve their crisis.
They hold a fresh party election,” he added.
Asked if BN should interfere and help MIC in their internal impasse, Sivamurugan said there is no need for BN to intervene, reiterating that MIC should just carry on with its fresh party election as soon as possible.
“I don’t think BN should come in. MIC with its leadership should be able to deal with this matter without BN’s help.
“There is nothing else can MIC can do now accept hold a party election soon,” Sivamurugan said.
It was previously reported that MIC saga started when RoS discovered discrepancies in the party polls and ordered it to hold fresh elections for the three vice president post and Central Working Committee.
Former CWC member, Datuk R Ramanan later accused MIC president’s wife Datin Seri P Kanagam of running the party with her husband G Palanivel acting only as a puppet.
Ramanan backed his allegations by claiming Palanivel had some kind of sickness that caused him to forget things including important decisions before lambasting the president’s inability to win back the Teluk Kemang and Sungai Siput seats in the last general election because of his contradicting statements and last minute decision making.
Yesterday Bernama reported that two former MIC leaders had accused the ethnic Indian party of fraud in setting up of branches at eight divisions during the party election in 2013.
Former treasurer general Datuk R Ramanan and former Youth Chief Senator Datuk S A Vigneswaran submitted evidence to RoS to facilitate investigations into alleged
irregularities in that party election.
Talking to reporters at the RoS office, Vigneswaran said the eight divisions were Sepang, Subang, Hulu Selangor, Petaling Jaya Selatan, Seremban, Kuala Langat and Serdang.
Meanwhile the party president had asked all those involved to stop attacking family members, a view which was echoed by his deputy, Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam.
Palanivel has since remained silent over the plans to hold fresh elections and members are restless and concerned that the party is heading towards de-registration.

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