Sunday April 26, 2009
Samy getting ready to step down after deputy is ‘trained’
By PAUL GABRIEL
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu will stay a year-and-half at the most, as he wants time to “train” his deputy, who will be elected in September.
He said he would announce when he would step down during the party elections.
“The new leader will need time to be trained. I can’t just walk away.
“The new man will not be in a position to do what needs to be done. In September, I will announce that I will get out of the party at which particular time,” he said in an interview at the MIC headquarters.
Samy Vellu, 73, who has led the MIC since 1979, was returned unopposed for an unprecedented 11th term in March when his challenger’s nomination papers were rejected.
The president, who failed to retain his Sungei Siput parliamentary seat in the last general election, said he expected a four-cornered contest for the deputy presidency.
He named the contenders as MIC secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subra-maniam, who is the party’s sole Cabinet representative, vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan, former deputy president Datuk S. Subrama-niam and incumbent Datuk G. Pala-nivel.
Asked if he would endorse any one of them to be his deputy and eventual leader of the MIC, he said this was his “greatest headache.”
“Now there are too many people clamouring for that post. Who should really be the person to be the next deputy president? All of them have served the party in their own way,’’ he added.
Samy Vellu said he needed to do some very deep thinking before deciding if he should endorse any one of them.
“This is going to be a very important party election. It could go either way – the candidates who win could keep the party going with new strategies and plans, or it could be the start of new problems and internal bickering thereafter,’’ he said.
On the expected candidacy of former deputy president Subra-maniam, his long-standing arch-rival, Samy Vellu said they were friends and on talking terms.
“But the decision he is seeking can only be made by the delegates, not me.
“In the previous election (I sided against him) because of so many other factors,’’ he added.
Related story:
Samy isn’t going just yet
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