KUALA LUMPUR, 28 Jan 2009: One of MIC president Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu’s fiercest critics and former party central working committee (CWC) member KP Samy, who was sacked from MIC in 2008, is expected to be re-admitted into the party soon.
Contacted by Bernama this evening, the vocal leader, who was closely aligned to the now banned Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), admitted that he would be joining the MIC and that a press conference on his status would be held in a day or two.
“Yes, it’s true (that he is re-joining the MIC) and I will make an official announcement in a day or two after everything is finalised. I am re-joining the party to improve the image of the Barisan Nasional (BN) and MIC. I will continue to talk about issues without fear or favour,” he told Bernama.
KP Samy, the former Shahbandar, Shah Alam, MIC branch chair, was expelled from the MIC after he openly supported the massive Hindraf demonstration in the federal capital in 2007.
A close ally of former MIC deputy president Datuk S Subramaniam, he said he was never against the ruling BN government and now realised “that the BN did give out assistance to Indians but it never reached the grassroots.”
“Since I was expelled, I had several offers from various parties including the opposition. But I never joined any party because I had faith in the MIC and the BN. Although I was with MIC, there were somethings that I did not agree with and voiced out openly,” he said.
Asked if he would continue to be vocal against Samy Vellu, he said:”I would be if he makes any mistakes”.
“In fact even if my political mentor (Subramaniam) is to make a mistake, I will be vocal about it. The same applies to any other leader in the party. This is what political parties are for. There must be a voice to correct wrongs.
“I had been in the MIC for 37 years before I was expelled and I am not looking for any position,” he added.
Asked on his stand on Samy Vellu’s prolonged presidency, Samy said it was high time that the veteran leader, who had helmed the MIC since 1979, set a date for departure from active politics.
“After his loss at last year’s general election, he said that he wanted to rebuild the party. This is the responsibility of a leader. What needs to be done now is for him to set a succession date and who would succeed him,” he added.
The businessperson, also said that it was not the time for infighting in the MIC but for all leaders to work together for a common cause, which was to win back the support of the Indian community.
The MIC’s all powerful CWC would meet tomorrow morning and top of the agenda is expected to be Samy’s application to re-join the party.
