PERAK MIC LEADERSHIP TRANSITION AIMS AT STRENGTHENING POSITION TO FACE 13TH GENERAL ELECTION

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 9 (Bernama) -- Perak MIC leadership transition has been seen

as another positive move made under the leadership of Datuk Seri G. Palanivel to

win the hearts of Indian voters in view of the upcoming 13th general election.

The transition has also pacified the many speculations made about Perak MIC

being deluged with domestic issues after Palanivel took over the leadership of

Perak MIC from its veteran leader Datuk S. Veerasingam.

Palanivel, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister''s Department, said he

believed that the decision would strengthen the party in its bid to get supports

from the Indian community to face the general election.

As the party president, Palanivel said he had the absolute power to take

over the MIC leadership in any state without having to refer or discuss it with

any quarters, including the party''s Central Working Committee.

Meanwhile, MIC Deputy President Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said Palanivel

must have solid reasons for taking over the post held by Veerasingam since the

last general election.

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"In our system, the president don''t have to discuss with any quarters about

this. He must have solid reasons and excuses for doing so," he explained.

Subramaniam, who is also Human Resources Minister, also believed that the

party president had made the decision knowing that it would strengthen Perak

MIC.

He said there was nothing new in the move as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib

Tun Razak, who is also Umno President, had also took over Selangor Umno

leadership after the opposition pact took over the state in the 2008 general

election.

Under Najib''s leadership, it was proven that Selangor Umno had gained a new

spirit and image to win the hearts of the people in Selangor.

It also had given a new hope for Selangor Barisan Nasional to win back the

state from the opposition in the 13th general election, he said.

Looking back at the results for the 12th general election, MIC only managed

to secure three out of nine parliamentary seats and seven out of 19 state seats

which it contested.

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The unexpected results had served as a reminder to MIC that they had not

done enough for the people, and hence, more changes and developments must be

carried out to ensure better future for the Indian community.

To ensure success for all the development agendas, Dr Subramaniam said MIC

leaders at all levels, were also taking an optimistic approach in support of the

president without creating neither Team A nor Team B.

What matters most is to find the best solutions, so that the third largest

ethnic community will not be left out from the mainstream development, he said.

The results of several by-elections held after the last general election

also proved that the Indian community had ''returned'' to MIC and BN.

Hence, it is only fair for the MIC members to prove that they were still

relevant as the only party representing the Indian community in the government,

he added.

-- BERNAMA

GK SHY NHA