Any MIC leader can contest deputy presidency: Samy Vellu

 KUALA LUMPUR, 18 June 2009: MIC president Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu said today he would not prevent any party leader from contesting the post of deputy president.

“Anybody can contest, but what is more important is the way they are going to campaign,” he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the MIC Central Working Committee (CWC) here.

He was asked if MIC leaders, including those holding cabinet positions such as Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S Subramaniam, could contest the post.

Samy Vellu’s announcement today could pave the way for Subramaniam to vie for the party’s No. 2 post in the 12 Sept party elections.

So far, former MIC deputy president Subramaniam and vice-president Datuk S Sothinathan have announced their candidacy for the post. Incumbent deputy president Datuk G Palanivel has yet to announce if he would seek re-election.

Subramaniam, who is also the MIC secretary-general, has yet to announce his candidacy for any post, although he has received backing from the grassroots, who feel that he should contest the post.

Other positions up for grab are three posts of vice-president and 23 CWC member posts.

Samy Vellu said it did not matter if the contest for the No. 2 post was going to be a “two-corner, four-corner or six-corner fight” as long as the delegates had a choice.

He also said he had yet to decide whom he would endorse for the deputy president’s post.

Samy Vellu also said that former MIC Youth chief SAVigneswaran and three former MIC Youth members who left the party last year have requested to rejoin the party.

“They met me recently and told me that they wanted to return to the MIC and I accepted their request,” he said, adding that the CWC endorsed their applications to rejoin.

Samy Vellu further said the party would set up a leadership institute to train future leaders from among the younger generation. — Bernama