BN to let MIC sort itself out

Barisan Nasional secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor says the coalition will let its component party, MIC, settle its leadership tussle on its own. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, June 17, 2015.

Barisan Nasional (BN) has no plans to intervene in the leadership tussle of its component party, MIC, despite the worsening crisis which now sees two leaders claiming to be president of the senior ethnic Indian party.

BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said MIC had told BN not to get involved in its internal matters.

"Of course we are concerned about what's happening in MIC but we believe they can solve it themselves since earlier they have asked us not to get involved.

"At this present movement, I believe both parties can solve it amicably," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

Tengku Adnan revealed that BN had given MIC numerous solutions to resolve its turmoil which has been ongoing since 2013 when the results of its party elections held that year were disputed.

But, Tengku Adnan said MIC had rejected the solutions offered.

"We have already spoken to them, we have given some solutions to them, they have not accepted the solutions that was given, so we leave it to them, they think they would be able to solve the problem themselves," he said.

Sounding exasperated, Tengku Adnan advised MIC to make unity a priority.

"I will advise them, please think rationally and unite because the Indians need you.”

But he also said he was confident the turmoil would not affect the larger BN coalition.

"We are not like the opposition you know, they are loose but in our case, we have very strong bonds. I am not worried," he said, referring to Pakatan Rakyat which has collapsed following PAS and DAP's inability to work with each other.

MIC is facing a leadership struggle, with both Datuk Seri G. Palanivel and Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam claiming to be the party president.

Palanivel had yesterday announced the 12-month suspension of his deputy Subramaniam and 13 other MIC members, for convening a central working committee (CWC) meeting which he said was illegal.

But Subramaniam went ahead with the meeting of the CWC elected for the 2009-2013 term, and which decided that Palanivel had already lost his party membership in March for initiating legal action against the Registrar of Society's (RoS) order to hold fresh elections.

Subramaniam also said the CWC had agreed to make him acting president.

Palanivel, however, insisted he was still president of MIC and will appeal the High Court's decision to dismiss his legal action against the RoS order to hold fresh party elections.

Asked on Palanivel ministerial status, Tengku Adnan said that was the prerogative of the prime minister.

- TMI