MIC deputy president S Subramaniam today denied the accusation levelled against him by party supremo S Samy Vellu concerning a controversial report which appeared in two Tamil dailies.

On Wednesday, dailies Makkal Osai and Tamil Nanban quoted Samy Vellu as saying that former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad had not delivered the promises made to the Indian community under the Eighth Malaysia Plan (8MP).

The MIC president, who is also works minister, later accused the dailies of distorting his remarks and threatened to sue them.

Samy Vellu then told malaysiakini that his estranged deputy could be responsible for the controversy. He also praised Mahathir for giving a lot to the Indian community during his 22-year tenure.

He said the dailies were aligned to Subramaniam and they were angry with him for endorsing another candidate for the number two post.

Fair coverage

In a brief statement to malaysiakini , Subramaniam refuted this charge.

"It is undeniable that the two Tamil dailies Makkal Osai and Malaysia Nanban have been giving me fair coverage," he said.

"I vehemently deny having anything to do with the statements in the two Tamil dailies regarding Mahathir's assistance to the Indian community.

"I have had no hand directly and indirectly over the news that appeared in the two Tamil dailies," he added.

Makkal Osai and Tamil Nanban have also stood by their reports and are prepared to face Samy Vellu in court should the matter come to that.

The dailies told malaysiakini that they have recordings of the alleged statements made by the party president during an MIC convention in Johor on Tuesday.

It is common knowledge that ties between Samy Vellu and Subramaniam have been strained for a long time.

The tension escalated this year when the president named current vice-president G Palanivel as his preferred choice for the number two post.

The contest for deputy presidency will take place on June 24.