Vell Paari: Delegates were frustrated with outside snipes
Published: Sep 14, 2009 12:38 PM | Updated: Sep 14, 2009 12:43 PM
MIC Youth wing advisor S Vell Paari today said criticisms levelled against former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad by party delegates at the party's annual meeting yesterday was borne out of frustrations against outside interference.
MIC Youth wing advisor S Vell Paari today said criticisms levelled against former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad by party delegates at the party's annual meeting yesterday was borne out of frustrations against outside interference.
He said the delegates - including one who had said that a garland of slippers should be given to the ex-premier - were merely venting their frustrations against Mahathir and others who had tried to interfere in the party's internal affairs.
"The party does not condone the acts of the delegate who said that a garland of slippers should be placed on Mahathir's portrait.
"Party president stopped the delegate from continuing his criticism against Mahathir and reminded everyone at the meeting of Mahathir's stature as a statesperson.
"He also castigated that particular delegate for talking about the garland of slippers and received a round of applause for the delegates for defending Mahathir who had attacked him in the run-up to the party meeting," Vell Paari told Malaysiakini today.
Vell Paari said the party has also decided to take disciplinary action against the delegate over his garland of slippers remarks.
However he said that Umno leaders who have jumped to attack the party (MIC) and Samy Vellu over the delegate's remarks must understand the background to the situation.
He said that delegates were highly emotional over the Mahathir's intrusion into MIC matters by asking for the removal of Samy Vellu as the president and supporting former deputy president S Subramaniam in his contest for the deputy's post against the president's man and incumbent G Palanivel.
"The delegates were also upset with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's speech which had underlying criticism against the MIC president and asking for changes in the party, as though he wanted the president's team to be defeated," he added.
Remember the cow-head protesters?
Vell Paari said that the eventual party election results vindicated Samy Vellu's position in the party as most of his men won the race as party office bearers.
"So one day after a tough election battle, the delegates wanted to consolidate their support for the president and his team and were expressing their views on what they thought about outsiders who wanted to impose their views on MIC affairs.
"This is exactly like what Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said about the cow-head protesters - MIC delegates were also venting their frustrations just like the cow-head protesters.
"The only difference is that the MIC delegates were doing it within their party meeting, expressing their anger to their colleagues and leaders. As for the cow-head protesters, we all know about their motives and intentions...," he added.
Vell Paari said that Umno leaders should not be too quick to attack MIC over what transpired at the party meeting without knowing the real situation.
"It is still an internal MIC matter and we will deal with it internally. The president has promised action against the delegate who spoke about the garland of slippers and action will be taken.
"As for Umno leaders, they should allow MIC to deal with this issue internally and accept that the criticism against Mahathir was a personal opinion of one delegate and not of the president or the party's.
"This is just like how Umno delegates at their party meetings make certain comments and remarks which are deemed sensitive and outsiders are not allowed to make an issue over it because it is their party matter," he pointed out.
He also said that the MIC will work hard to bring back the Indian voters to Barisan Nasional as requested by Najib but urged the federal coalition to reciprocate by paying more attention to the needs of the Indian community.
He said the delegates - including one who had said that a garland of slippers should be given to the ex-premier - were merely venting their frustrations against Mahathir and others who had tried to interfere in the party's internal affairs.
"The party does not condone the acts of the delegate who said that a garland of slippers should be placed on Mahathir's portrait."Party president stopped the delegate from continuing his criticism against Mahathir and reminded everyone at the meeting of Mahathir's stature as a statesperson.
"He also castigated that particular delegate for talking about the garland of slippers and received a round of applause for the delegates for defending Mahathir who had attacked him in the run-up to the party meeting," Vell Paari told Malaysiakini today.
Vell Paari said the party has also decided to take disciplinary action against the delegate over his garland of slippers remarks.
However he said that Umno leaders who have jumped to attack the party (MIC) and Samy Vellu over the delegate's remarks must understand the background to the situation.
He said that delegates were highly emotional over the Mahathir's intrusion into MIC matters by asking for the removal of Samy Vellu as the president and supporting former deputy president S Subramaniam in his contest for the deputy's post against the president's man and incumbent G Palanivel.
"The delegates were also upset with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's speech which had underlying criticism against the MIC president and asking for changes in the party, as though he wanted the president's team to be defeated," he added.
Remember the cow-head protesters?
Vell Paari said that the eventual party election results vindicated Samy Vellu's position in the party as most of his men won the race as party office bearers.
"So one day after a tough election battle, the delegates wanted to consolidate their support for the president and his team and were expressing their views on what they thought about outsiders who wanted to impose their views on MIC affairs.
"This is exactly like what Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said about the cow-head protesters - MIC delegates were also venting their frustrations just like the cow-head protesters.
"The only difference is that the MIC delegates were doing it within their party meeting, expressing their anger to their colleagues and leaders. As for the cow-head protesters, we all know about their motives and intentions...," he added.Vell Paari said that Umno leaders should not be too quick to attack MIC over what transpired at the party meeting without knowing the real situation.
"It is still an internal MIC matter and we will deal with it internally. The president has promised action against the delegate who spoke about the garland of slippers and action will be taken.
"As for Umno leaders, they should allow MIC to deal with this issue internally and accept that the criticism against Mahathir was a personal opinion of one delegate and not of the president or the party's.
"This is just like how Umno delegates at their party meetings make certain comments and remarks which are deemed sensitive and outsiders are not allowed to make an issue over it because it is their party matter," he pointed out.
He also said that the MIC will work hard to bring back the Indian voters to Barisan Nasional as requested by Najib but urged the federal coalition to reciprocate by paying more attention to the needs of the Indian community.
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