One does not need to be a legal expert to understand that currently from the legal perspective (High Court and Registrar of Societies or ROS), Dr S Subramaniam’s team is the only legally recognised MIC entity.

To all the strong supporters of G Palanivel’s team, please take note that about 150,000 to 200,000 MIC members will become non-members based on an estimation of 1,000 to 1,500 branches not submitting nomination this weekend which will make the branches defunct legally and weaken our party considerably. Thus common sense must prevail and such a situation should be avoided by all means.

Supporters of Palanivel’s team have to be practical on the current situation and mitigate the risk while waiting for the Court of Appeal to decide on the appeal. All branch chairpersons in support of Palanivel’s team should file their nomination this weekend as a precautionary measures in order to avoid their branches from being declared as defunct or the possibility of taken over by other branch members as new chairperson of the branch.

In our party, everything starts from the branch, thus do not lose your right to be heard in the party and do not weaken our party further. All the branch chairpersons need to ensure their survival in the party in order to continue our party cause to serve our community and our country.

I urge all MIC leaders to put aside their ego/differences in their views and opinion and advice all the branch chairpersons to file their branch nominations this weekend. In my opinion any leaders requesting the branch chairperson not to file the nomination are doing it for their personal agenda and not from a legal perspective.

I also urge Subra’s team to not victimise any branch chairperson or supporters of Palanivel during the branch nomination process and allow them to nominate smoothly since it is the right of each and every members to support any leaders during election and soon after election everyone should close ranks and work towards the betterment of our party, our community and our country.

My fellow branch chairpersons, please exercise your rights and submit your branch nominations this weekend.

MANIVANNAN RETHINAM is chairperson, Pudu Ulu Branch, Cheras, Wilayah Persekutuan.