The 63 rd MIC AGM saw the anointed line-up of MIC president Samy Vellu romping home to victory. But to discerning observers present at PWTC, there were flaws.

During the morning break on the second day of the AGM, I chanced upon a Wanita MIC delegate soliciting donations for poor estate children in Semenyih.

It seemed odd, as there were already numerous other organisations, not affiliated to MIC, who have been championing cause of the poor in that area.

mic election 120909 crowd Oppressed People's Network (Jerit), for one, has been working with the Indian community for more than a decade on issues affecting the downtrodden there.

Similarly ERA Consumer Malaysia, led by Fomca president Marimuthu Nadason have running a women's empowerment centre for Indian women.

But strangely, this grassroots Wanita chief was unaware of this in the very town that she lives in.

Also, during the lively debates a delegate revealed that the party has been sending birthday cards annually to a party member who died four years ago.

These examples clearly indicate that there is a huge gap among the party's top leadership, grassroots leaders and the community.

This disjointed and disconnected relationship is akin to a mutton varuval (mutton) dish lacking spices.

The newly-elected vice presidents, all of whom are cabinet members, were at pains to explain to disgruntled delegates of their roles and functions as MIC reps in the federal government.

Quality of delegates

The three are M Saravanan who is the Deputy Federal Territories Minister, Dr S Subramaniam who leads the Human Resources Ministry and SK Devamany is Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

If delegates themselves are left in the dark about their top leaders, what about the grassroots? The quality of delegates over the years is also suspect.

Instead of addressing pressing issues like ways to achieve 3% equity ownership by Indians, one was passionate about a Telugu channel to be set up on Astro.

mic election 120909 samy votes While it is true that Indians in Malaysia are not only made up of the Tamil community, they definitely are the majority. Thus the Tamil is more popular among the Indian community.

There's need to get more professionals into the MIC. As it is, potential leaders find the appeal of PKR more enticing.

The urban Indian non-members have already rejected the party at the 12 th general election last year. Wooing them back to support BN would be tough.

MIC president S Samy Vellu while talking to the press postulated that the minute he announces that he'd leave the party, MIC would be weakened by 50 percent.

Samy Vellu has only one term to prepare Palanivel and Co take over the helm of the 63-year-old party. It is a pity that he failed to do much more for the Indian community over the past three decades with his preferred blue eyed boys.

Nevertheless, the influence Samy Vellu wields over the party can be best summed in the words of a journalist friend of mine who said: "Samy is God."

Well, at least he is, within the MIC.