Besieged MIC president S Samy Vellu has dismissed S Murugessan as the party's secretary-general.

The post will be filled by Negeri Sembilan party chief T Rajagopalu.

murugesan gas pc 280510 This comes a mere two days after Murugessan ( right ) expressed dissatisfaction with the unilateral expulsion of four other party leaders by Samy Vellu.

Before him, Samy Vellu had sacked MIC central working committee (CWC) members KP Samy and G Kumar Amaan, MIC Youth deputy chief V Mugilan and Petaling Jaya division veteran V Subramaniam.

All four were sacked by Samy Vellu without a disciplinary hearing

In place of Rajagopalu's place as Negeri Sembilan MIC chief, Samy has appointed Jeram Padang state assemblyperson V Mogan, while one A Ganesan is Mogan's deputy.

In an immediate reaction, Murugessan conveys his gratitude to Samy Vellu for allowing him to run for the Subang parliamentary seat in March 2008 under the MIC and appointing him as MIC secretary-general.

"It's the prerogative of the (party) president to appoint or dismiss the secretary-general. I wish to thank the President for giving me the opportunity to contest in Subang and to serve as Secretary General of the party," said Murugessan.

"I stood up for what I believed in and I was ready to face the consequences," he said in a mobile text message to Malaysiakini .

"I congratulate Datuk T Rajugopalu on the apppointment and wish him all the best. Thank you."

'Karma'

Murugessan had said he was not arguing about Samy Vellu's tenure nor the merit in asking for his resignation.

"What I am against the use of presidential powers to expel a member," he said.

While he admitted that many MIC leaders were unhappy with the sacking of the four CWC members, Murugessan could not say if they would step forward to protest.

Murugessan had also said that Samy Vellu himself had set the precedent 40 years ago by calling for the resignation of then-MIC president VT Sambanthan.

"History is repeating itself or you can call it karma," he said, adding that joining the chorus of discontent is his contribution towards safeguarding MIC's democratic principles.