A Cameron Highlands landslide victim who lost his house and mechanic shed claims to have been left in a lurch, but MIC president G Palanivel’s camp argued otherwise.

Despite numerous requests, C Vijayan, 34, said that he received no assistance from MIC president G Palanivel, who is the MP for the area.

He added that Palanivel visited the site and MIC leaders had later told the mechanic to “wait for the allocation” but nothing came forth.

"I stayed in a hotel for four days and couldn’t afford it anymore. So, I have since shifted to my mother’s house in Rawang, and we are staying there temporarily," he said.

The landslide that occurred on Dec 30 was the latest in a series of similar incidents that have plagued Cameron Highlands of late.

Two of Vijayan’s neighbours, a pregnant woman and her child, were killed in the landslide

'Treated  rudely by CWC member'

After a prolonged wait for assistance, Vijayan said he was told to meet MIC central working committee (CWC) member, P Palaniappan.

"When I asked Palaniappan for some money as assistance, he asked me in return to let him know if there was any aid or money coming in. He then went on to humiliate us," he alleged.

Vijayan then received a call from an MIC member who asked him to collect a cheque from Palanivel, who is also natural resources and environment minister, at the latter’s office in Putrajaya.

However, the mechanic said he was shunned again as the staff told him they were not aware of any cheque.

A frustrated Vijayan then showed up at the MIC headquarters yesterday to seek assistance, where he met members of the media and communicated his plight to them.

"Palanivel did not say anything when he visited us. He kept nodding his head even though I was telling him about our difficulties. There was no mention of any help to be given to us," he said.

"I can tell you, the MIC in Cameron Highlands is useless," he added.

Vijayan said none of his neighbours who suffered from the landslide received aid either.

"The families of those who passed away were given RM2,000 each to conduct funerals. But that was about it. There was no other help. Our houses are gone," he lamented.

However, a source close to Palanivel (right) painted a different picture.

He told Malaysiakini that with the assistance of Koperasi Suria under its ATOM program, a workshop with full equipment worth about RM50,000 was set up for Vijian in Tringkap.

(Koperasi Suria is under MIC of which Palanivel is the chairperson)

“In between he (Vijayan) still wanted financial assistance which Palanivel had also already given.

"During the latest incident where landslide destroyed his workshop, Palanivel also gave him RM1,500 as immediate financial assistance with the option to help him further to repair his workshop which was partially damaged from the landslide more than a week ago," he added.