Incensed MIC president S Samy Vellu gave a Perak delegate a tongue-lashing today for alleging that the party's state assemblypersons were not doing enough for the community, a Bernama report said.

S Sunderaju, who said this during the debate at the MIC general assembly in Kuala Lumpur, also chided delegates for presenting their debates in Bahasa Malaysia, saying they should be speaking in Tamil as the party was fighting for the language.

This prompted Samy Vellu to take the microphone and ask Sunderaju, a branch chief, to stop his debate as it could hurt the feelings of other races in the country.

"Where is (Perak MIC chief) G. Rajoo? Come up to the stage and bring the other two state assemblypersons.

Pay and allowance

"Now let me tell you (Sunderaju), state assembly reps o­nly get a RM3,000 allowance," he said.

"My pay is about RM8,000. Subramaniam (MIC deputy president and a deputy minister) gets about RM5,000. How much can we do with the money? I don't even see my pay each month. Don't just talk, think first," he fumed.

Samy Vellu, who is Works Minister, said such matters should be discussed with party leaders instead of being voiced out in the open.

He said anything said at the assembly would be picked up by the media and read by the whole nation, not just the Indian community.

"Once this happens, how are these leaders going to face their constituents? It is easy to let a snake go but to catch it is very difficult," Bernama quoted him as saying.

New identity

Another delegate from Malacca, who was debating the presidential address earlier, said the party should first create a new identity before asking Malaysian Indians to do so.

"Before the community embarks o­n the creation of a new Malaysian identity, the MIC should have a new identity, and this should be according to the time we live in," said K Pannirselvam.

He told the 1,497 delegates that the party should strive to create a new image at all political functions so as to be taken seriously at the national level.

Another delegate, SK Suppiah, presented his debate with much humour when speaking o­n the state of social ills within the Malaysian Indian community.

"We get into a taxi and get chopped. We get into our own house and get chopped. We wait for buses at bus stops we get chopped. Even the temple is not spared," he said to thunderous applause from the floor.

Mix with others

MIC leaders, said Suppiah, should put all matters o­n hold and come up with concrete steps to stop the violence involving Indian youths.

"When Indian settlements get relocated, they are put together and do not mix with other races. We should start learning how to mix with the other races in the country.

"MIC local government councillors should make sure those relocated stay in a mixed environment," he said.

He said some leaders would "sleep" for three years before waking up in a party election year.

"This should not be the case. The leaders should work at all times regardless of election year or not.

"If this trend continues, then we as delegates should throw them out," he said.