Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam today said that other Indian-based BN component parties should stop meddling in the party's internal affairs.

"The MIC is still facing some internal problems that we must resolve.

"It is not right for 'outside' parties to involve themselves in this matter and touch on our internal affairs," Subramaniam, who is MIC president, said at a press conference after attending a Wanita MIC women empowerment programme in Puchong today.

Subramaniam said this in response to statements made during a recent Ponggal event organised by former MIC president G. Palanivel who is still engaged in a bitter feud with the current party leadership.

The event was also attended by myPPP president M Kavyeas who reportedly declared that he did not recognise Subramaniam as the elected MIC president, despite the Registrar of Societies having done so.

Besides Kayveas, Indian Progressive Party (IPF) president M Sambanthan, Makkal Sakti president RS Thanenthiran, and Malaysian Associated Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry president Kenneth Eswaran were among those who said their organisations supported Palanivel.

Commenting further, Subramaniam said such statements will only weaken BN's efforts to consolidate support amongst the Indian community.

"I have told MIC (members) to not get involved with other parties' internal affairs and I hope that other parties will also respect our principle.

"The rejection (from other BN parties) has no meaning. They should look at their own parties. I have no problem if they want to organise their own programmes, but do not meddle in MIC's affairs," he stressed.

'No need to inform PM'

Asked whether he would be raising the matter with BN's top leadership, Subramaniam said: "The BN chairman (Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak) should already be aware...There is no need for me to inform him."

"I have the utmost confidence that the BN chairman will do the right thing," he added.

Meanwhile, Subramaniam also said that MIC is ready to face any legal action taken by Palanivel's supporters.

"We will see them in court," he said in reference to the case filed by former MIC secretary-general R Ramanan at the High Court on Thursday.

Ramanan had reportedly said the case was filed to expose how Subramaniam had allegedly “misled” officers from the Registrar of Societies (RoS) to recognise him as the rightful MIC president.