S Samy Vellu, who has been MIC president for more than three decades, has announced that he would quit his post eight months before the next party polls, scheduled for May 2012.

However, Samy Vellu did not say who he would hand over the party leadership to.

NONE "I will leave eight or nine months before my term expires in May 2012. I will hand over the leadership to the next generation of leaders then.

"This is what I had told the prime minister (Najib Razak) when I met him prior to the Hulu Selangor by-election," he told journalists after opening the MIC Wilayah Persekutuan convention today.

"Before that, I want to revamp the party completely, starting with the branch and state leaders. People have asked me when I would leave the post and this is the time frame I have set.

"I want all party members to know that the transformation of the MIC will continue. The transition of power in the MIC will be smooth," he added.

Samy, 74, was re-elected for the ninth time last year.

"By the time I retire, I would have trained the deputy president to run the party," he said without naming his deputy, G Palanivel. 

Since the March 2008 general election, the MIC chief had been under intense pressure to relinquish his post to give way to a new leader.

Samy Vellu has previously said that he would step down at the next party election in two years’ time.

The MIC took a beating in the 12th general election, when it lost six of the nine parliamentary seats it contested under the BN banner. Among those who failed to retain their seats in the 2008 elections were Samy Vellu himself and Palanivel.

The party, however, managed to recapture the Hulu Selangor seat, previously held by Palanivel, when party information chief P Kamalanathan won the seat in the recent by-election.

Question over Palanivel's fate

Samy Vellu's decision not to name his successor today would also raise questions as to who would take over the helm of the party since Palanivel was not given the opportunity to contest the seat by the top BN leadership.

NONE However, Palanivel ( far left ) was appointed senator earlier this month, indicating he had yet to reach political oblivion.

Samy Vellu said he would like to quit earlier, but had refrained from doing so for fear the party would face problems.

"I would have to set the party on its right foundation and place the right people first, then only I would say, 'OK young men, you all can take over'."

Samy Vellu said in the mean time, he was not just wasting his time in the office, as he had an important job to do prior to his retirement. 

“I am using my time to strengthen the party and change the machinery to become a working machinery, and then to remove the leaders who don't do their work and put in new leaders.

"So, when they take over they don't see a big bunch of non-working leaders there," he said.

Destroying the destroyers

Samy Vellu also vouched that he would "destroy" those who destroy the party before he steps down as party president next year.

"I'm not going to go like a fool from the MIC and I will make a good

decision before I leave," he added.

Samy Vellu who has been leading MIC for 31 years (since 1979) said he hoped that the next party president would run the party peacefully.

On another note, he dismissed the perception that MIC is no longer

relevant for the Indian community as it had proven its worthiness by winning two by-elections.

"If MIC is not relevant, how then could we win in Bagan Pinang and Hulu Selangor (by-elections)?

"If we can go on with our transformation efforts, the MIC will continue to be accepted and respected," he said to about 300 delegates at the convention.

- Bernama