'Forgery': Samy's rival issued show-cause letter

His dream of challenging his former friend-turned-nemesis S Samy Vellu failed to materialise when he was disqualified from contesting for the MIC presidency.

On March 22, the veteran president returned to lead the party for a record 11th term.

This was after 48 out of the 53 nominations for M Muthupalaniappan were rejected by the elections steering committee, the majority of which on the grounds of duplicity.

A presidential aspirant has to obtain 50 nominations with each needing one proposer and five seconders. All of them must be branch chairpersons.

Samy Vellu had obtained 572 nominations in all but 117 nominations were rejected.

A vexed Muthupalaniappan then accused his rival of underhand tactics and lamented that democracy is dead in MIC.

Now party insiders reveal that the former MIC vice-president had been slapped with a show-cause letter over the alleged falsification of signatures of several branch chairpersons who purportedly acted as his proposers in his bid to take on Samy Vellu.

Complaints filed

According to them, the alleged falsification came to light when several of branch chairpersons lodged complaints with the party headquarters claiming that their signatures on Muthupalaniapan's nomination forms were forged.

"Some of them have written to the (MIC) headquarters to say that it was not their signatures in (Muthupalaniappan's) nomination forms for the presidency and that someone had forged them."

After a thorough investigation, the insiders said the MIC headquarters decided to seek an explanation from Muthupalaniappan on the allegations made by the branch chairpersons.

"I believe the show-cause letter has already been sent to Muthupalaniappan a few days ago but I am not sure if he has replied the letter," said one party insider.

Previously, Samy Vellu was quoted as saying in a news report that many of the proposers' signatures for Muthupalaniappan were falsified.

"They have written in to say that it was not their signatures, that someone had forged it. About 60 people have complained that they signed for me first and their signatures were forged.

"About 10 others who did not sign at all found their forged signatures on the forms," he had said.

Prior to being disqualified, Muthupalaniappan had expressed confidence of winning the presidency should he be allowed to contest.

The 68-year-old lawyer had also alleged that the incumbent's camp went from door-to-door to secure nominations from those who had already nominated Muthupalaniappan thus rendering the nominations invalid.

The MIC politician, who hails from Negeri Sembilan, was recently elected as a delegate to represent the Seremban division at the party's upcoming meet in Kuala Lumpur.

'Samy committed fraud'

In an immediate reaction, Muthupalaniappan described the latest development as a result of 'petty jealousy' and an attempt to tarnish his name.

"The show-cause letter is unlawful and the allegation baseless. Whatever they do, it cannot affect my support," the defiant leader told Malaysiakini .

According to Muthuplaniappan, it was Samy Vellu who had committed falsification and obtained his nominations through fraudulent means.

"Knowing that the branch chairpersons had proposed and seconded me, he still got them to sign (nomination forms) for him and nullify the forms. Is this not fraudulence?" he asked.

Muthupalaniappan also claimed that when it became known that a large number of his nominations were rejected, he received calls from his proposers and seconders stating that they did not sign Samy Vellu's nomination papers.

"So it must have been signed by someone else," he added.

He also alleged that his proposers and seconders were harassed while the branches which nominated him have been closed without reasons.

'They are alarmed'

Muthupalaniappan claimed that Samy Vellu was worried about his recent election as a divisional delegate with a huge majority.

"They are alarmed by my victory in Seremban, they fear that I will stand for deputy presidency or vice-presidency (in the coming party polls) and this will derail Samy Vellu's (succession) plan," he added.

Describing MIC as a party which is beyond repair, Muthupalaniappan said: "MIC is in bad shape, many have left the party and many are contemplating on leaving it."

"I am not worried about the party's disciplinary committee. It is time to tell the truth. MIC is in bad shape," he said, adding that even Samy Vellu's supporters want the president to leave.

"If anyone should face disciplinary action, it should be Samy Vellu and (party disciplinary committee chief) G Vadiveloo," he said.

Muthupalaniappan said he collected the show-cause letter today and would "definitely reply it."

"I am not the least bothered. If they want to sack me, I would be happy," he said, adding that the only reason he has taken all the hardship is because of his affection for the party.

On the same note, he called on Samy Vellu to initiate a roundtable discussion with several prominent and sincere leaders, including Muthupalaniappan, if the president is serious about rebuilding the party.

"Otherwise, Samy Vellu and Barisan Nasional can dream on about regaining the support of the Indian community," he said.