MIC Youth secretary C Sivaraajh, who was handed a 12-month suspension by the party effective yesterday for criticising the party leadership for accepting back sacked members, said he would be filing an appeal by next week.

"I accept the decision to suspend me with and open heart and will appeal. Although I feel I did not do anything wrong I will make the appeal. I hope the party will consider it," he told Bernama in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

His suspension was announced by MIC's disciplinary committee chairman K S Nijhar on Tuesday.

Sivarraajh was reported to have lodged a report with the Registrar of Societies after the party's central working committee (CWC) decided to reinstate three leaders, namely former youth deputy chief V Mugilan and two former central committee members KP Samy and G Kumar Amaan.

Mugilan, Samy and Kumar Amaan were expelled after they started a campaign to oust the then party president S Samy Vellu, following their sacking, and later formed a movement called Gerakan Anti Samy Vellu (GAS).

However, after Samy had handed over the party leadership to his successor G Palanivel in December last year, the three were accepted and reinstated with their respective positions in the party.

This had prompted Sivarraajh to claim that the CWC had acted against the party constitution.

"Under the Societies Act, the allegation, if proven is really serious and can bring a serious implication to the party. He has called a press conference to air his allegations and this is something that we cannot tolerate," Nijhar said when announcing the suspension.

- Bernama