MIC Youth wing advisor S Vell Paari today endorsed the wing's national advisor T Mohan over his cousin SP Muthuveloo for the Youth chief post which will be contested later next month.

NONE Vell Paari ( photo:left ) said Mohan ( right ), a 36-year-old businessman, was the right choice to helm MIC Youth due to his experience with the grassroots and his leadership dynamism.

"Yes, Muthuveloo is my cousin but I think he should spend more time solving problems in his own division (Subang) first," he told Malaysiakini on his decision to back Mohan for the Aug 16 contest.

Mohan declared his interest to go for the top Youth post yesterday and immediately received support from many state MIC exco councils.

Muthuveloo, a 38-year-old lawyer and a MIC Youth national council member since 2005, declared his interest to go for the top Youth post on July 12 on the platform that he wanted to give a new direction to the wing.

"We have to come to a point where a change is inevitable and we have to adapt to the need and aspirations of the community," he had said after announcing his decision to vie for the post.

Vell Paari, however, said that Mohan was the ideal person to ring changes in the Youth wing to reach out to the community.

"He has built up his grassroots support the past eight or so years. He is a leader with a good foundation," he said.

Vell Paari added that Mohan was readily available at any time to take up any issue facing the community.

"His service record speaks for itself. The record is good," he said.

Putting party before family

As for Muthuveloo, Vell Paari said that he has to buck up and solve grassroots issues in Subang where he (Muthuveloo) is the Youth wing division chief.

"I'm getting many complaints from that division. My advice to him is to build up his base in his own division first before dwelling into national matters," he added.

He said that he was backing Mohan although Muthuveloo was his cousin because he wanted the best for the Youth wing.

"Family ties are important but my decision is based on what is good for the party, that's all."

MIC Youth coordinator T Mohan 01052009 Mohan ( left ) has been the national coordinator of the wing the past year following his appointment by MIC president S Samy Vellu.

He replaced SA Vigneswaran who had breached the age limit of 41 years.

Vell Paari was also named as advisor to the Youth wing at the same time, and in the past one year, both he and Mohan had worked together in raising the Youth wing's profile and membership.

Vell Paari, who is Samy Vellu's son, weilds a huge influence in the party and his endorsement is definitely a massive boost for Mohan, who is now the favourite in the race for the Youth wing's post.

Mohan thanked Vell Paari for his confidence and endorsement of him and said he wanted a clean and open contest for the top post with his "good friend" Muthuveloo.

Getting president/uncle's blessings

Muthuveloo ( below ), meanwhile, said it was not important who Vell Paari endorses for the post but rather who the party president supported.

muthuveloo 180709 mic youth "I have spoken to the president (his uncle) to get his consent and blessings. I'm also confident that the delegates prefer a change in the leadership," he said.

Nominations for the youth election is on Aug 8 while the election proper will be held during the wing's assembly on Aug 16 where 541 delegates will elect a new leader for the next three years.

This is the first time the Youth chief post is being openly contested.

The last two youth elections (2003 and 2006) saw Vigneswaran being returned unopposed.

Prior to that, Youth leaders were appointed by the party president.