It is not up to Utusan Malaysia to decide who will be the president of the MIC, the party’s deputy president, Dr S Subramaniam, said today.

"The party members decide on electing a president and the future of the president. This is not dependent on journalists. Of course, I am not saying journalists do not have a right of opinion.

"In a democratic institution, anybody can give comments, but at the end of the day, it's the members who decide," Subramaniam, who is health minister, told a press conference in Putrajaya.

He said this when asked about an Utusan Malaysia report that Palavinel, who is also natural resources and environment minister, should resign if he is not up to the job.

Last Sunday, Utusan Malaysia told MIC president G Palanivel to buck up or step down amid the party being plunged into a crisis after the Registrar of Societies (ROS) ordered MIC to hold a re-election.

The ROS ordered the MIC to hold fresh elections for its 23-member central working committee (CWC) and the three posts of vice-president.

Urges members to be calm

To this, Subramaniam said one to two division chiefs have claimed that they have solid evidence contradictory to the suggestion by ROS.

“If they have solid documents and evidence, they can submit them to the ROS,” he said.

Nevertheless, he urged his members to be calm and cooperative at this point of time.

“I urge all MIC members at all levels is to be more rational in the face of this situation, instead of acing based on emotion,” he said.

While acknowledging that support for MIC dropped in the 13th general election, Subramaniam claimed that society, especially the Indian community, has great hope in MIC.

"The hope of society is that MIC will be a strong party for voicing out the hopes of society and the needs that decide the people's future.

"We shall not forget our responsibility, that about two million Indian Malaysians have great hope in the MIC," he said.

In the face of the difficulties and challenges, however, he pointed out that this was the time when the party could take “remedial action”, such as empowering the grassroots to be more responsive to society.

‘President was informed’

On the other hand, Subramaniam denied that Palanivel was not in the know of the announcement on the re-election.

“The president was contacted, he was informed. It was based on his feedback, then the announcement from me.

“It was not done unilaterally, either by the secretary-general or by myself or by other people.”

He added that the date of re-election would be made known shortly after Palanivel’s return.

“He is supposed to be back next week. So after that we meet and make the decision. If there is any issue we cannot agree on, then of course we will take it up after he comes back.

“Nothing is carved in stone. We can discuss and solve everything,” Subramaniam said.