Najib to blame for MIC’s woes, says Palanivel

Embattled MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel says Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak should not have sided with the Registrar of Societies, which had declared the party’s 2013 elections null and void. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, June 20, 2015.Embattled MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel today blamed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for the tussle between two warring camps over the highest position in the party.‎

In a rally to declare support for him at the Putra World Trade Centre today‎, Palanivel said Najib had sided with the Registrar of Societies (RoS) and put pressure on Barisan Naisonal’s largest ethnic Indian party to reject the party elections held in 2013.

‎"Barisan Nasional and the PM himself got involved in putting pressure on MIC to reject the results of our validated 2013 elections and for the party to take sides with our detractors," he said during his speech to the cheers of thousands who had come to show their support for him.

"This is the greatest challenge MIC has faced in its 70 years of history. The issue is simple and clear. This is a battle between right and wrong. Between justice and unlawfulness. Between order and chaos. Between good and evil."

The MIC saga erupted following differences in opinion between Palanivel and his deputy Datuk Seri S. Subramaniam after the RoS issued a notice last December 5 directing the party to hold fresh elections for the three vice-presidential and 23 CWC posts.

The RoS had nullified the elections held in November 2013 following complaints of irregularities and ordered fresh polls to be held.

Palanivel took his case to the High Court but last Monday his two judicial review applications to quash the directive of the RoS to hold new elections were dismissed.

The court upheld the registrar’s decision for the party to hold re-elections at all levels (branches and divisions), including the president’s post.

Today, Palanivel said the party would hold its branch election from August until year-end and wanted the ‎2,764 branches to support him as their leader and those still in the central committee.