MIC president S Samy Vellu today expressed regret over a report in a news portal for trying to create a wedge between him and his deputy G Palanivel by "creating a story based on imagination and with a mischievous mind".

Describing the writer of the report as a "fortune-teller", Samy Vellu said he found both the writer and the report "very hilarious".

samy vellu exclusive on tamil schools 080708 06 "It is an irresponsible act on the part of the writer to create something out of thin air just to get some excitement," Samy Vellu said in a statement to Malaysiakini today.

Samy Vellu said although the report was not true, he felt the need to clarify the matter, especially to his party members.

He said there were bound to be differences of opinion in a meeting but not to the extent of how the writer had reflected it in his report which he described as "wild allegations".

Samy Vellu was commenting on the Malaysian Insider report yesterday which quoted sources as saying that Palanivel and Samy Vellu were engaged in a "stormy face-off" during the meeting of the Maju Institute of Educational Development (MIED), the educational arm of MIC at the party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

'Palanivel and I get along well'

Samy Vellu said by writing "such a nasty piece (report)", the writer had reduced himself from "a reporter to a story-teller and now to a fortune-teller".

"He (the writer) wrote as if he was inside the (MIED) meeting. I was informed that he was not even present near the vicinity where the meeting was held. So, it is quite obvious for him to come up with a fairy-tale like that," he said.

NONE Samy Vellu said the motive of the writer was "quite obvious, that is to paint a picture that all is not well between me and Palanivel".

"Well, he is so very wrong because both Palanivel and I get along well and have worked together to strengthen the party, especially after the last general election.

"Perhaps there are people who have become envious of the unity in MIC and want to see us (the leaders) fighting with each other so that they can keep on writing bad things about us," he said.

He hoped Malaysian Insider would not allow "hearsay" to be part of its reporting culture, noting that the online newspaper has been stressing on balance and serious reporting on all its reports.   

Samy Vellu also reiterated that Palanivel would succeed him after his retirement.