The 67th MIC annual general meeting (AGM) scheduled for this weekend is set to rally delegates and other grassroot leaders to take the party back to its golden era of yore.

Party president G Palanivel has vowed to finish what he started, and now needs a stronger set of leaders and proper strategies to return to the good old days.

In less than 24 hours, the Indian community’s focus will be on the party’s eight-cornered race for the post of three vice-presidents (VP). Apart from electing the VP, the more than 1,400 delegates will also elect 23 central working committee (CWC) members.

These leaders will strive for the betterment of the 1.8 million-strong Indian community and the party for the next three years.

The contest for VP, on the other hand, is not about two incumbents being challenged by six nonentities who in reality, are well-known personalties with an enviable track record and niche support.

The two incumbents are Youth and Sports Deputy Minister M Saravanan and Perak state assembly speaker SK Devamany.

The other candidates are the party’s former vice-president, S Sothinathan, former Youth chiefs SA Vigneswaran and T Mohan, Johor Baru division leader S Balakrishnan, party treasurer Jaspal Singh and C Selvaraja.

Eighty-eight people, including two women candidates, will vie for the CWC seats.

A political analyst said the Indian community would be following closely the election process via social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, for the new line-up.

Universiti Sains Malaysia' Associate Professor Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said the people were eager to know the results of the elections, since this would be the first line-up under Palanivel.

“This team must be able to work with Palanivel and his deputy, Dr S Subramaniam, to be able to transform the assistance provided by the government, to the community,” he told Bernama today, on the sidelines of the MIC AGM this weekend, in Malacca.

He noted that many candidates contesting for a post showed that healthy democracy existed within the party, and the burden lay on the delegates to choose the right leaders for the benefit of the party.

‘AGM to focus on changing MIC’s nature’

“The AGM itself, should focus on changing the MIC’s nature in order to gain back the Indian community’s trust and remain relevant, as well as address all immediate problems of the community.”

Anbumani Balan, another political analyst, said MIC needed a combination of experienced and younger leaders to be brave and vocal to address the needs of the Indian community, in a more strategic and effective manner.

“We need more young and dynamic leaders, who can be a role model to attract the ‘Gen Y’ group, who are still sceptical about MIC.

“These leaders must also formulate the best policy to ensure a better future for the Indian community, especially in education and economic fields,” said the Federal Territory MIC information chief.

He noted that a huge task lay ahead for Palanivel and his team to revive the party’s glory days, and remain relevant to the community.

- Bernama