Fissures seem to affecting Malaysia Makkal Sakthi Party (MMSP) over the issues of who is empowered to remove the party president and who is entittled to approve party expenditure.

A scheduled central committee meeting yesterday to debate two motions against party president RS Thanenthiran was called off at the last minute.

The first was a motion of no confidence against him, the second called for his immediate removal as president.

NONE Speaking at a press conference last night, MMSP deputy president A Vathemurthy accused his party president of cancelling the scheduled meeting at the 11th hour.

"We received an SMS calling off the meeting at 11.45pm on Dec 1," said Vathemurthy in the presence of party members.

He also accused Thanenthiran of lacking accountability and transparency with the regard to the spending funds during the party's launch in October.

Lack of transparency grouse

The party was launched by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and is largely seen as a vehicle for him to tap into Indian support. The party was formed by a group of people unhappy with Hindraf.

"There is no transparency where party accounts are concerned," Vathemurthy added.

However, he did not provide any evidence of any misappropriation. He merely said, "The food and building alone cost RM140,000 for the 5,700 members who were present there."

It is a party rule that the party president is allowed to spend any amount within RM100,000. Any expenditure beyond that requires central committee or interim committee endorsement.

A big no to family-run party

In addition, Vathemurthy also accused Thanenthiran of nepotism and cronyism.

NONE He said that three of Thanenthiran's relatives are in the party's central committee. It is learnt that party vice-president R Ramesh is Thanenthiran's brother. He was first appointed to the interim committee and became an elected member later.

Vathemurthy also alleged that Thanenthiran had absorbed many of his close friends into the party without the knowledge of other leaders.

He added that this development was proof that Thanenthiran does not have effective leadership skills which caused a split in the party.

"We don't want the party to be a family party. We want to show that we can remove a president constitutionally," Vathemurthy said.

However, Vathemurthy was reluctant to admit that the party was split, but added that the central committee was willing to offer Thanenthiran the position of party advisor.

A conspiracy, claims the president

malaysia makkal sakti party official launch 190509 07 Meanwhile, Thanenthiran when contacted said that there was a conspiracy within the party to topple him.

"I know who they are but I will not reveal them now. They want me to hurry up in meeting their demands."

Thanenthiran refuted his deputy's claims that expenditures needed central committee's approval.

"The committee approves expenditure below RM50,000. It is the AGM that gives the green light for expenditure above RM100,000."

When asked on the amount spent, he said that the party treasurer was currently preparing the accounts.

"We also can't have accounts audited on a monthly basis," he laughed.

On the cancellation of the CC meeting, he said that the party secretary-general received the notice calling for central committee meeting on Dec 1 in the afternoon but reasons provided were insufficient, hence the cancellation.

Thanenthiran said that during the first central meeting on the Nov 1, members did not raise any issues and seemed happy.

"The meeting was the best forum to raise issues but none did," he added.

"Why can't they wait for the next central committee meeting that would be held on the 16th this month?" he asked as he reiterated that they were rushing things.

Who are they?

Thanenthiran also laughed off the allegations of nepotism and cronyism.

"All the 27 central committee members are my friends. Would you bring your enemies into the party?" he retorted, admitting that party vice president Ramesh was his brother.

In response to the notion of removing him as party president and becoming party advisor, Hindraf's former national coordinator had only one question:

"Who are they to remove me?"