G Palanivel today confirmed that he will step down as MIC president in 2016.

Palanivel, who is the Natural Resources and Environment Minister, said he would step down in the first quarter of 2016 at the end of his term before the deputy president takes over.  

However, he said, this was not a condition agreed or compromised.

“No compromise. I only asked for one more term. I already announced it many times,” he told reporters.

Earlier, Palanivel had a closed-door meeting with the party’s divisional chiefs at the MIC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

Also present were former MIC president S Samy Vellu, MIC deputy president Dr S Subramaniam and vice-presidents M Saravanan and SK Devamany. 

Palanivel took over as party president when Samy Vellu stepped down in 2010 after holding the post for 31 years.  

Palanivel also said he doubted that there would be a contest for the top two posts in the coming party elections. 

“The party election - the presidential level and the deputy presidential level, I doubt there will be a contest,” he said. 

Asked whether this would be the best decision for the party, Palanivel said: “It was a good decision because the Prime Minister (Najib Abdul Razak) had discussed with us.”    

However, he said, he could not reveal when the discussion took place as it was a very private discussion.  

Yesterday, Malay Mail Online reported that Najib had met Palanivel, Subramaniam, Saravanan and Devamany at his residence in Putrajaya on Sunday.

Najib is said to have advised them to concentrate on strengthening the party and avoid a contest which could result in ‘open warfare’ in the party.

“But at the vice-presidential level and CWC (central working committee) level, there may be contests,” Palanivel said.

The MIC presidential election will take place on Sept 22 in the event there is a contest for the post at nomination on Sept 1.

The MIC president will be elected by the party’s 4,200 branch chairpersons nationwide. The deputy president, three vice-presidents and 23 CWC members will be elected by 1,500 party delegates.

Putting aside personal interests

Speaking to reporters later, Dr Subramaniam, who is the health minister, said the party leadership had put aside personal interests for the welfare of the party and the community.  

“Today, we have shown that we are all together. I hope it sends a very strong message that this is a very strong and united party that will bring back the Indian community to the party. 

“That is a result which I hope for from this decision and I hope that after this, all members within the party will put aside all differences and move forward together to serve the community and to ensure that the Indian community will be solidly behind the Barisan Nasional in the next election,” he said. 

Samy Vellu said he was very grateful and thankful for the interest that the prime minister had taken to see that the MIC stayed united.

“First, I don’t want to interfere because I’m an outsider. I must not interfere.

“Later, as friends, we talked to each other and I’m very grateful and thankful to the prime minister for the interest that he has taken to see that the MIC stays as one unit,” he said.

- Bernama