KUALA LUMPUR, (Bernama) -- More than two weeks have passed since MIC President Datuk Seri G. Palanivel announced that he and his deputy Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam would "stand down" to pave the way for a "period of non-crisis" to resolve the party crisis.
However, going by the statements that were issued by the various party leaders every other day, it does seem that the past couple of weeks had been far from a "period of non-crisis" the top guns had envisaged.
Some of the more recent statements pertained to replacements and new appointees to party posts.
The moratorium that Palanivel mentioned in his Jan 29 statement was, obviously, a good opportunity for him to settle the various outstanding party matters with his deputy. It is, however, unclear whether or not he had met up with his deputy to thrash out the issues.
LACK OF COMMUNICATIONS
Political observer Asso Prof Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said the fact that the leaders were issuing their own statements without consulting each other showed that there was still a lack of communications between them.
"It was this lack of communications that had triggered the party crisis in the first place," he told Bernama.
Sivamurugan, who is a senior lecturer at Universiti Sains Malaysia's Centre for Social Science Studies, said instead of issuing statements continuously, the leaders should start having face-to-face communications.
He also urged the party to focus on the directives from the Home Ministry and the Registrar of Societies (RoS), dated Feb 9, to hold fresh elections for all posts.
"Statements are important to keep everyone updated but continuously announcing changes in the party can lead to confusion and disappointment among members," he said.
On Monday, Palanivel said in a statement that he has appointed a member of the interim Central Working Committee (CWC), Datuk S. Sothinathan, as the new party secretary-general.
Yesterday, he said that as MIC president, he had the sole and absolute prerogative to appoint the party's secretary-general, treasurer-general and information officer under Articles 46.5 and 49 of the party constitution.
He also dismissed a notice that had been issued with regard to a purported emergency meeting by the interim CWC today, saying that it was "illegal, null and void", and his action has provoked the ire of other party leaders and members.
HARD TO KEEP TRACK OF CHANGES
"MIC observers are wondering why the party is struggling to keep its house in order," said Sivamurugan, adding that instituting too many changes in a very short period could confuse party members, unless the changes were part of a strategy or tool to rejuvenate the party.
"Although the party is in crisis, it should at least relay the impression that it is still functioning, to avoid the Indian community from having a 'deficit representation' perception."
Sivamurugan urged the interim CWC to meet as soon as possible to decide on how to conduct the fresh elections smoothly.
Meanwhile, journalists covering the MIC are also having a hard time keeping track of all the changes in the party.
One reporter, who did not want to be identified, said: "Sometimes, it is difficult for us to keep track on who is holding what post since it is changing all the time."
Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi recently said the 68-year-old party should hold new elections for all elected posts between April and July this year to avoid deregistration.
The crisis had erupted over differences of opinion after the RoS nullified elections for the three vice-presidential and 23 CWC posts at the party's general assembly held in Melaka in November 2013, following complaints of irregularities.
In a letter dated Dec 5, 2014, the RoS ordered MIC to hold fresh elections for these posts within 90 days.
-- BERNAMA
However, going by the statements that were issued by the various party leaders every other day, it does seem that the past couple of weeks had been far from a "period of non-crisis" the top guns had envisaged.
Some of the more recent statements pertained to replacements and new appointees to party posts.
The moratorium that Palanivel mentioned in his Jan 29 statement was, obviously, a good opportunity for him to settle the various outstanding party matters with his deputy. It is, however, unclear whether or not he had met up with his deputy to thrash out the issues.
LACK OF COMMUNICATIONS
Political observer Asso Prof Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said the fact that the leaders were issuing their own statements without consulting each other showed that there was still a lack of communications between them.
"It was this lack of communications that had triggered the party crisis in the first place," he told Bernama.
Sivamurugan, who is a senior lecturer at Universiti Sains Malaysia's Centre for Social Science Studies, said instead of issuing statements continuously, the leaders should start having face-to-face communications.
He also urged the party to focus on the directives from the Home Ministry and the Registrar of Societies (RoS), dated Feb 9, to hold fresh elections for all posts.
"Statements are important to keep everyone updated but continuously announcing changes in the party can lead to confusion and disappointment among members," he said.
On Monday, Palanivel said in a statement that he has appointed a member of the interim Central Working Committee (CWC), Datuk S. Sothinathan, as the new party secretary-general.
Yesterday, he said that as MIC president, he had the sole and absolute prerogative to appoint the party's secretary-general, treasurer-general and information officer under Articles 46.5 and 49 of the party constitution.
He also dismissed a notice that had been issued with regard to a purported emergency meeting by the interim CWC today, saying that it was "illegal, null and void", and his action has provoked the ire of other party leaders and members.
HARD TO KEEP TRACK OF CHANGES
"MIC observers are wondering why the party is struggling to keep its house in order," said Sivamurugan, adding that instituting too many changes in a very short period could confuse party members, unless the changes were part of a strategy or tool to rejuvenate the party.
"Although the party is in crisis, it should at least relay the impression that it is still functioning, to avoid the Indian community from having a 'deficit representation' perception."
Sivamurugan urged the interim CWC to meet as soon as possible to decide on how to conduct the fresh elections smoothly.
Meanwhile, journalists covering the MIC are also having a hard time keeping track of all the changes in the party.
One reporter, who did not want to be identified, said: "Sometimes, it is difficult for us to keep track on who is holding what post since it is changing all the time."
Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi recently said the 68-year-old party should hold new elections for all elected posts between April and July this year to avoid deregistration.
The crisis had erupted over differences of opinion after the RoS nullified elections for the three vice-presidential and 23 CWC posts at the party's general assembly held in Melaka in November 2013, following complaints of irregularities.
In a letter dated Dec 5, 2014, the RoS ordered MIC to hold fresh elections for these posts within 90 days.
-- BERNAMA
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