MIC members in Johor today torched copies of Makkal Osai and Malaysia Nanban in a protest against the two dailies for allegedly misquoting party president S Samy Vellu.

According to Bernama , some 50 members from the party's division in Kluang also carried placards expressing their anger over the matter.

Another protest was carried out by members of the Kulai division at the Kulai bas terminal at about 12.30 pm.

The protest was over the reports by both newspapers that Samy Vellu had stated that former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad did nothing to improve the standard of living of the Indian community.

He was answering questions from the floor at a party convention in Johor Tuesday on why the Indian community failed to achieve the three percent equity under the Eight Malaysia Plan.

Samy Vellu who deplored the reports retorted that it is the underhand tactics of his adversaries who were out to undermine him.

The MIC president said he had called Dr Mahathir who was in Turkey to clarify that he had been misquoted by the two newspapers.

Personal attacks

Samy Vellu had also pointed the finger at his estranged deputy S Subramaniam. He claimed that the two dailies are aligned to him.

Subramaniam has denied any involvement while the dailies have also stood by their reports, claiming that they have recordings of the disputed statements.

On the protest in Kluang this morning, Kluang MIC Division head G Raman said it was levelled at Malaysia Nanban and Makkal Osai as the report could cause a rift in the community.

"What we need are newspapers which unite the community. But since their inception, the newspapers concerned had mounted personal attacks against Samy and causing disharmony in the community," he was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, Johor MIC chairperson KS Balakrishnan said the boycott and the burning of the newspapers were done by members at their own accord and not under anybody's instruction.

He also added that Samy Vellu did not utter such words at the convention.