Well, Uncle Samy, I hope Malaysian Indians are receptive, and convinced by your move to infuse new blood in the party.
Here's The Sun's page 1 report (the web version):
KUALA LUMPUR : The MIC today made sweeping changes to its list of candidates for state assembly seats, replacing 13 of the 19 incumbents.
It also changed two of its incumbent MPs, dropping vice-president and Tan Sri Dr K.S. Nijhar (Subang) and switching another vice-president Datuk S. Veerasingam (Tapah) to the Sungkai state seat in Perak which he previously held.
MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu will spearhead the party into the country’s 12th General Election at a most challenging time, aiming to secure a ninth term in Sungai Siput. He said he was not afraid as he had seen tougher fights in his long political career.
He told a press conference the party was switching its Ijok state seat in Selangor, retained in a by-election last year, with the Bukit Melawati seat held by Umno.
Samy Vellu announced the names of the candidates after holding a one-hour closed door meeting with his party central working committee and the new candidates in the Works Ministry,
Majority of the new faces are lawyers while the others were a doctor, civil servants and businessmen.
Asked why Veerasingam was moved to a state seat, Samy Vellu said it was done so that the party vice-president can take care of Perak, following the departure of its long-serving state chief Datuk G. Rajoo.
On Nijhar being dropped and his reaction, Samy Vellu replied: "I don’t know, I haven’t seen him."
He said Nijhar had served a two-term senatorship before he was brought into the party to serve the people.
Asked if the Indian community would continue to support MIC, he said he was confident they would because they realised that they needed a representation in the government.
“All those who instigated them to ask all sorts of questions are those who cannot represent them in the government. If they feel they don’t want a representation, God also cannot help.”
The new blood would very soon be tainted by so many old ones around.
ReplyDeleteDespite the Hindraf Rally and the attending agitation and “makkal shakti” arising from the Indian Community, our Samy Vellu is still not quitting without putting up a fight in the GE 2008. His confidence level is extra boastful and high declaring that out of the 19 state seats only three namely - 1. Lunas, 2 Perai, 3 Bagan Dalam need extra efforts. The 9 Parliament seats have no problems.
His reasoning “of the 780,000 voters we have, 530,000 are our members, when own members, we have a special direction for them. What we have to fight for is the balance of 200 hundred over thousands”
So is this Indian factor having a decisive say in the swing of votes to the opposition or is it a wishful thinking for a lot of people? More details & pics at
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