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The secretsg
of coachin
Samy keeps post
for the 11th time
by Karen Arukesamy
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: Longest-serving
MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy
Vellu, 73, added another term to
the record, his 11th and avowed
last term, yesterday.
He won uncontested when
the declared challenger, Datuk M.
Muthupalaniappan (pic), failed to
get the required 50 nominations.
The former party vice-president
submitted 53 nominations, but the
six-member election committee
declared 48 as invalid for not
complying with the party consti-
tution and presidential election
by-laws, leaving only five valid
nominations.
Committee chairman Datuk
K. Vijayanathan announced Samy
Vellu, who secured 455 nomina-
tions, the only candidate for the
president’s post, after about three
hours of scrutinising the nomina-
tions. Some 117 nominations were
rejected for the same reason.
“More than 90% of the
nominations rejected were due
to duplication of signatures with
both candidates obtaining nomina-
tions from the same people. This
is not allowed under the party
constitution and election by-laws,”
Vijayanathan stressed.
Muthupalaniappan declared
that democracy was dead in the
MIC. He claimed his bid for the
presidency did not go down well
with Samy Vellu from “day one”
as he (Samy Vellu) wanted to win
unopposed to show MIC’s coun-
terparts in the Barisan Nasional
that he was in control of the
party.
“In a true democ-
racy, contest must be
encouraged and not
muted. This is the last
straw. Democracy is
truly dead in the MIC,”
he told Bernama.
He claimed that
branch chairmen
who had signed his
nomination forms
were asked to also
nominate Samy
Vellu, thus invali-
dating both.
He said that an-
ticipating this, he
had the branch
chairmen who
nominated
him to make
a statutory
declara-
tion that
they were
nominat-
ing him for
the post.
He also
said that
according
to the MIC
constitution,
Member of Audit Bureau of Circulations (Malaysia)
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division and state chiefs were re-
turning officers in the presidential
election and they should have
been barred from being involved
in any lobbying but this was not
the case.
He also claimed that he was
given only 65 nomination forms by
MIC headquarters whereas Samy
Vellu was given more than 550
forms.
The party constitution requires
a presidential candidate to obtain
50 nominations, each with one
proposer and five seconders. All
proposers and seconders must
be among the 3,700 branch
chairmen.
Samy Vellu said that this would
be his last term.
RM43,000 for shattered plaque ... Five broken pieces of a plaque commissioned to commemorate
the Perak State Assembly sitting under a tree were yesterday auctioned for RM42,900. Each jagged piece marble with
“This is my last election. I will inscription was mounted in a transparent case together with a replica of the original, which was shattered by vandals.
not contest after this and I will Auctioneer Frankie Wong from the DAP opened bidding for Lot 5, the biggest and last piece at
select the best candidates to lead RM4,000, and after 19 bids, the item was sold for RM17,100 to a businessman identified as Lee. »
Full report Page 4
the party after my term. I am also
out to ensure that they are well-
trained and prepared to face future
challenges,” he said after he was
declared unchallenged.
‘Umno must
“My victory shows that the
party is still united as one,” he said,
adding that it’s not just his victory
but the whole party’s.
“The responsibility as president
in the current period will be more
challenging as three by-elections
will be held simultaneously,” he
said, expressing strong confi-
dence of the BN winning the Bukit
Selambau seat.
dare to change’
The former works minister, who
lost his Sungai Siput parliamentary
seat in the general election and
with it his cabinet post, has held
the top party post since 1979,
when he became the
acting president
after the death
of Tan Sri V.
Manickavasa-
gam.
The deputy’s UALA LUMPUR: Umno deputy
post is expected
to be hotly-con-
tested with incum-
b e n t Datuk G.
Palanivel
K president Datuk Seri Najib Abdul
Razak says changes to Umno’s
constitution are possible in the
reformation of the party.
He said the party’s organisational
NAJIB ENVISIONS CHANGES TO PARTY
CONSTITUTION AS PART OF REFORMS
programme on Radio Television and needs on the basis of the power
facing a structure and policies also needed to Malaysia’s TV1 channel at the Putra sharing concept the BN practises.
straight be revamped in repositioning Umno in World Trade Centre last night. “If they are unable to deliver,
fight with line with the current needs of the people He expects the changes to they will lose credibility among the
incumbent and to counter the negative perception Umno’s constitution to take place ethnic groups they represent.”
vice-president people have of Umno. before the party polls in the coming Najib, who will be taking over
Datuk S. Sothina- “Change must take place in Umno years. the leadership of the nation after
than. itself so that the negative perception Najib, who is deputy prime min- the assembly which will begin to-
can be eliminated. For this reason, the ister, also wants Umno delegates to morrow and end on Saturday, said
election process of Umno’s leaders also the party’s general assembly this he did not see himself enjoying a
needs to be reviewed. week to only return leaders who are honeymoon period as the political
“We must do something in a serious capable and willing to serve with situation in the country and the cur-
way, and dare to make changes. I am integrity, credibility and loyalty. rent world economic crisis would
confident if we take this path, support “I hope they will choose leaders not allow it.
for Umno and the Barisan Nasional will based on the party’s interest and not He said every move he makes
return and we can be back to where we self-interest. will be scrutinised under a “micro-
were previously. “If we go for this attribute, I am scope” from the very first day.
“So, internal changes in Umno sure it will signal the beginning of “Nevertheless, I believe the peo-
need to be tackled first and after that the reform process for Umno.” ple will give me a chance to prove
government policies and approaches He said in reforming itself, myself,” he said, adding his cabinet
in the direction we intend to take to Umno, which is also the lynchpin of lineup and first address as the
fulfil the aspirations of the people. This the BN, must also be willing to give prime minister would be the initial
is what we will have to strive for,” he room to the component parties in yardsticks they would measure him
said when interviewed on the Dialog@1 the coalition to forward their views by. – Bernama