'They should've changed the president'

How many times have we called a mobile phone and found ourselves humming to a song while waiting for the person to answer?

Phone junkies claim that the 'song' selected is an extension of the individual’s personality.

If this is true, then it comes as no surprise that MIC deputy president G Palanivel, 60, has picked a devotional song. It is common knowledge that he is a pious man, who often travels to India to visit shrines and fulfill religious obligations.

Even amidst the intense campaign for the MIC elections - which has seen his borrowed Lexus four-wheel drive chalking up a mileage of about 15,000km in a month and his tight schedule - his aides said that he somehow always finds time to stop at a temple.

The former Hulu Selangor MP also prides himself in being a people's man. Printed in bold capital letters on the back cover of one of his campaign booklets are the words 'He walks the extra mile for you'.

However, his detractors dismiss this as nothing more than propaganda.

When Malaysiakini met Palanivel during his visit to a MIC division leader's house in Klang over the weekend, a woman turned up to tell of how he helped with her medical bill when he was still a deputy minister.

Critics refused to buy the story, saying it might have been staged in a bid to shore up support on compassionate grounds, but he made light of it.

"I don't remember her. It was a long time ago. She came here on her own," he said.

The former journalist has listed the alleviation of poverty and helping the underprivileged as part of his mission.

On Saturday, he will defend his post against two challengers, former deputy president S Subramaniam whom he unseated in 2006 and vice-president S Sothinathan.

However, the incumbent has a head start in the race by virtue of the president S Samy Vellu naming his former press secretary as his preferred candidate and eventual successor.

The open endorsement in itself could translate into several hundred votes when some 1,400 delegates cast their ballots to determine the top echelon of leaders.

Although all three candidates are talking about change, Palanivel feels that his rivals, especially Subramaniam (right), are barking up the wrong tree.

"They are not giving any definition about their concept of change. They are just talking about change. Change means, they should have changed the president," he said with a laugh.

"They shouldn't try to change the deputy president. I am just a small figure of this whole party, I am part of a team... if they wanted to change... they should have changed the president. He (Subramaniam) never had the guts to do that."

Continuing his attack against the former No 2, whom he considers to be the bigger threat of the two, Palanivel recounted how Subramaniam once referred to him as a 'shadow' of the president.

"Shadows also can out-shadow people like him. If I am a shadow, how is it that I can stand on my own, speak on my own, think on my own, do things on my own. I brought the government to the people all on my own," he said.

"I did not consult the president as far as my ministry work was concerned. As far as party work is concerned, of course, I am under a leader, I have to consult him, argue with him, and finally follow his directions."

Sothinathan 'quite an ambitious guy'

Palanivel said he does not believe in the speculation that Sothinathan's entry into the race was orchestrated to break the votes for Subramaniam.

Describing the third candidate as "coming in like a spoiler", he said he is not surprised by the decision because Sothinathan (left) is known to aim for the stars.

"No, I am not surprised because he had expressed the desire to contest even during the last deputy presidential elections. He is quite an ambitious guy," he said.

Rebutting the suggestion that it could be construed as an act of betrayal for Sothinathan to defy his mentor Samy Vellu, Palanivel said: "It is not wrong to be ambitious."

On Sothinathan's assertion that youth is an important factor in ushering in changes, Palanivel stressed that experience is more important in politics.

"I have done many rounds in this party and have more experience than him," he said.

Caste and money politics

He also pleaded innocent to the charges of money and caste politics, which are alleged to be rampant in the campaign.

"I don't open my pocket and give out money. What I give are my brochures, books and (DVD) discs. If somebody gives on my behalf, somewhere, some money, it is not my fault," he said.

On the issue of caste politics, Palanivel said he does not belong to any of the dominant castes in the party and that he is supportive of all castes.

"Different sections of the Indian community support me, feeling that I am one of the most neutral guys, and I won't domineer over them," he added.

But it is a different case for his rivals, both said to be targeting the same 'Gounder' caste, an allegation which they have denied outright.

"They are using it as a trump card to get (caste-based) votes," Palanivel charged, at the same time disagreeing that the practice of caste politics is widespread in MIC.

"If you look at the way candidates are picked, (and) branches and divisions are structured from 1946 (up) to now, we are not a caste(-based) organisation. We are a political organisation," he said.

'I have my strength'

Responding to the claim that he will not succeed without the president's backing, Palanivel once again trained his guns on Subramaniam.

"That is his opinion. I have my own strength. He knows it. On a one-to-one basis, I am still better off than him because I have served well in a short span of time.

"I have put my record (out) there. And in one of the press statements, I remember, he mentioned that if the deputy president candidate is supported by the president, it would be an advantage. So he was looking for that kind of support. I am so sorry, he never received it."

Palanivel also lambasted Subramaniam for describing the contest as a battle for presidency, since Samy Vellu (right) is campaigning for his preferred candidates.

"He wants to become president. That is his ambition. To become president (while) hiding in the post of the deputy president, hoping that one day something would happen to the president so that he can come and sit in the chair and start warming it, like the way he warmed it (as deputy president) for 25 years," he said.

Palanivel also disagreed with critics who claim that MIC has passed its shelf-life following its losses in the last general election.

"MIC is relevant and will continue to be relevant because we are the only party that represents the Indians in this country... like how Umno represents the Malays, MCA represents the Chinese, MIC will continue to represent the Indians because there is no other holistic party which can represent the Indians.

"And we are the only party with an archival memory, we have a long history. At some points during our history, we have suffered, (but) then we make a comeback."

Asked why delegates should vote for him, he said: "I think they will vote for me because they like me. I can see this feeling of like and of love... they think I am a reliable guy, I am a guy with a lot of passion and commitment for my work."

"I am accountable, I am transparent and I report to them about what I do.... Consistency is my hallmark."

"I am not a politician who, when I like it, I come in and when I don't like it, I go out, (I don't) as and when I like, come back and make a stake for the throne," he added in an obvious reference to Subramaniam.

Q&A: Subra a seat-warmer, Sothi a spoiler