Only MIC leaders who lack influence, credibility and strength would resort to gauging their support via the short messaging service (SMS) polls, said party president S Samy Vellu today.

According to the veteran politician, the real test of strength and popularity of a leader would come from the party members and delegates.

"Only those who have not gained popularity through their services and dedication to the people would seek shortcut popularity via SMS through their parasites," he told Bernama .

He was asked about the SMS poll by the Malaysian Public Service Association (PPRM) and Nayagan bimonthly agazine purportedly to gauge the popularity of incumbent MIC deputy president S Subramaniam and his potential challenger G Palanivel for the number two post.

'Cheap and bankrupt means'

Samy Vellu, who is also works minister, said aspiring candidates in the upcoming June 24 MIC elections would "soon learn a lesson that they can only secure positions in the MIC through hard work and through the democratic process, and not through some cheap and bankrupt means."

"I have great confidence in the wisdom of the MIC delegates. They are wise enough to understand follies," he added.

PPRM president P Gunaseelan had said that the poll on "Who is the favourable candidate for the post of MIC deputy president," would see people voting for either Subramaniam or Palanivel.

Palanivel, the deputy women, family and community development minister, is Samy Vellu's preferred candidate for deputy president.

Gunaseelan had also claimed that PPRM did not have any personal agenda in conducting the poll.

Heated affair

The contest for the number two spot promises to be a heated affair as many see it as Samy's final attempt to kill off the political career of Subramaniam.

It is an open secret that ties between the party's top two leaders have been strained for a long time. Subramaniam had even contested against the president in 1989, which observers noted had cemented the rift.

Subramaniam, whose last government posting was that of deputy trade and consumer affairs minister, was also struck off MIC's candidates list for the general elections.

Prior to that, he was the incumbent parliamentarian for Segamat, Johor.