Kuala Lumpur – ‘Enough is enough’ seems to be the crystal clear message conveyed by MIC’s Central Working Committee meeting held yesterday evening. Speaking to the press after the meeting, MIC President Datuk Seri Dr S.Subramaniam announced several key decisions made by the party’s highest ranking body.
Ramanan expelled
Dr Subramaniam announced that MIC Bukit Bintang Division Chairman Datuk R.Ramanan (pic) has been expelled from the party. Ramanan was also the former Treasurer General of MIC, during the tenure of Palanivel. His expulsion comes after his recent press statements and activities aligning himself with Palanivel’s faction.
As per the MIC Constitution, Ramanan has 14 days to appeal to the CWC on his expulsion. The CWC has the final say whether to reinstate him again into the party.
No more negotiations with Palanivel’s faction
The CWC has also decided not to engage with Palanivel faction’s branches and leaders because they are not sincere in their approach to return to the party. “Furthermore, enough avenues have been given to them to return to the party but they continue to cause problems without genuine willingness to return to the party. They were also not sincere in their approach” Dr Subramaniam said.
Palanivel’s faction came to MIC HQ building last week Thursday to negotiate about their return to the party but later party Deputy President Devamany was attacked by some persons from the group. A police report has also been lodged by Devamany.
Culprits who attacked Devamany must be charged
Dr Subramaniam said the CWC viewed the attack against Devamany as serious and urged the authorities to take appropriate action against the culprits. “I have spoken to the IGP on this matter and have urged him to investigate and find the out the root of the matter. The persons who attacked Devamany must be charged as soon as possible” Subramaniam said.
“When the incident (attack on Devamany) took place I was in overseas. So at that time Devamany was also the acting President of MIC when he participated in the negotiations with the group. Therefore an attack against the Acting President of MIC is a serious matter and action must be taken by Police” urged Subramaniam.
“There is only one MIC with one set of office-bearers”
Dr Subramaniam also revealed that the Registrar of Societies has endorsed the party elections held on 6th November 2015 and has updated their official records. “There is only one MIC with the office-bearers officially endorsed by RoS” Subramaniam declared.
What’s next for Palanivel’s faction?
MIC sources point out that the door seems to be permanently closed now for Palanivel’s faction to return to the party. Even if there is a political willingness to absorb them again into the party there could be legal hurdles, MIC sources further said.
Palanivel’s faction had several golden opportunities but failed to seize them. The last offer of returning to the party by filing nominations on the 19th of December was the best opportunity open to them.
On that day some 342 branches returned to the party as a result of which the so-called Palanivel faction is now clearly divided.
The intervention of BN Secretary General Tengku Adnan was also timely in solving the impasse between the two factions but Palanivel’s faction failed to seize that opportunity to negotiate their terms.
Absence of former President Palanivel’s leadership, Datuk S.Sothinathan’s absence in press conferences called by Tan Sri Balakrishnan and A.K.Ramalingam, raising RoS-MIC conspiracy simultaneously while negotiations were taking place, were some of the factors that contributed for Palanivel’s faction’s failure to conclude a successful merger, a political observer noted.
-R.Mutharasan
