Kg Pasir Pantai MIC branch leader SK Mahes could not control his emotion when he related his disappointment to reporters this afternoon of how his branch did not receive a B-form from the party headquarters.

As his tears flowed, perhaps out of self pity at being snubbed by those at MIC Hq, Mahes, 46, claimed that he has spent much of his life dedicated to serving the community and has led the branch for five years.

Without the B-form, his branch is technically defunct as it cannot hold its annual general meeting, a requirement stipulated by the Registrar of Societies.

Mahes claimed that his branch qualifies for a B-form as it, among other criterias, meets the 100-member quota and has paid up its 2006 subscription last year.

Thus far, he has sent two letter to party secretary-general S Sothinathan (left) over the matter but has received no responce.

"I have done so much community work, but yet my branch has been treated as such," he said.

During the press conference, he showed reporters numerous news clippings and a Reader's Digest article of his community work.

Refund

The deadline for submitting the B-form to party headquarters is Feb 28. Mahes does not expect to receive the form by then and wants the party to refund his branch's subscription fees of RM328.25.

He said that while the sum isn't large, his branch is seeking the refund as a matter of principle because the branch members have lost their rights to participate in the divisional elections.

Last month, a group led by P Ganapathy also claimed that an undisclosed number of branches were not given B-forms under similar circumstances.

Ganapathy has since formed a new party - MIC Baru - to cater for a reported 50,000 to 100,000 members disgruntled with MIC but do not wish to leave the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.

On Jan 28, party secretary-general S Sothinathan clarified that 10 MIC branches were not given the forms for failing to fulfil certain criterias.

Mahes declined to comment if he or his members would switch to MIC Baru's fold.

"I just want to serve the community," he said.

Election year

MIC - the country's largest Indian-based political party - will have its elections this year.

The branch elections began in February while divisional elections are in March. The party will hold its elections for national office-bearers, except the president's post, in June.

The MIC adopts a slightly different procedure among the Barisan Nasional component parties in electing its leaders. The president is picked by branch office-bearers if there is contest while divisional delegates vote in all the other top party leaders.

The divisional delegates are made up of the branch chairmen, deputy chairmen or secretary.

Fireworks are expected at this year's contest after party president S Samy Vellu openly sidelined his long term deputy S Subramaniam and endorsed current vice-president G Palanivel for the number two slot.