Samy Vellu’s exit plans

“I will not leave the party like a fool but I swear I will destroy the people who tried to destroy the party.”

MIC president Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu, when announcing that he would step down from his presidency in late 2011, eight to nine months before his term ends in May 2012. Two days after this announcement, Youth deputy chief V Mugilan was sacked for calling for Samy Vellu’s early resignation.

MIC is due for elections in 2012. Samy Vellu, who has helmed the MIC since 1979 for 11 terms, said he had informed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak of his retirement plans. He said Najib had asked him to commit to stepping down within a specific timeframe. However, as with his previous statements about quitting, Samy Vellu said he wanted to strengthen MIC first before retiring. (Source: Samy vows to quit next year, The Star, 19 May 2010)

“I am ready to let go (of the position). I am ready to go. Monday…or even tomorrow if Palanivel feels that he is ready to take over the party leadership. I am ready to pass the leadership to him.

“I have no problem. It is not like I want to hold on to this post forever. But there are many things that need to be resolved (for the party and community).”

Responding to pressure from Najib earlier, Samy Vellu said he was willing to pass the reigns to his deputy Datuk G Palanivel, but added that he had to put the party in order first. MIC had just completed party elections on 12 Sept 2009 where Palanivel was re-elected as number two. Samy Vellu was returned uncontested as party head in an earlier poll in March 2009 for the president’s post. Later, in November, unnamed MIC sources reportedly said the president would leave in a grand send-off in May or June 2010 at the party’s 64^th general assembly, although Samy Vellu himself did not give a date. (Source: Samy Vellu ready to quit, but…, The Malaysian Insider, 22 Sept 2009)

“I have decided to complete my term of office since I was elected for a three-year term.”

Samy Vellu in an interview with TV3 on leaving the party presidency in May 2012, the end of his current and 11th term. However, this went against early plans for him to step down after the party elections in September 2009 when he would have passed on the reigns to the elected deputy president. Samy Vellu reportedly decided to stay on till the end of his term due to severe infighting for the number two post. Another news report translated from Tamil daily Makkal Osai said Samy Vellu had in fact declared that he would stay on till 2015. (Source: Samy to complete his presidential term, Bernama, 19 Aug 2009)

“In other countries, when a leader fails, he resigns voluntarily. In Japan, he would commit harakiri (suicide). We are not asking him (Samy Vellu) to commit harakiri…You have failed to lead MIC to the point that you lost yourself.

“Malaysian leaders still do not understand that when they fail they should resign of their own volition, no need for others to tell them. When you fail, your party fails. You are responsible.

“If I know that a person will cause BN to lose, that is already a BN problem, no longer an MIC problem. We cannot keep saying don’t interfere. This is a BN affair. Because of him, the BN lost.”

Former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad previously said Samy Vellu would undermine support for the BN if he continued to lead MIC. He cited the emergence of other Indian Malaysian based parties and movements, like Hindraf, as proof. Mahathir said Samy Vellu was insisting on continuing as president when people had rejected him. And he took credit for Samy Vellu’s earlier popularity as MIC leader by allocating government funds to build a university and by allowing MIC candidates to stand for elections in Malay Malaysian seats. (Source: Dr M strikes again: Samy a liability to BN, Malaysiakini, 18 Sept 2009)

“Next term I won’t go (to contest). This may be my last term.

“I’m prepared to go even now if the Indian [Malaysian] community does not want me anymore.”

Samy Vellu before the 8 March 2008 polls, announcing that the 12th general election could be his last. His statement came in the wake of criticism that he had overstayed as MIC president, and pressure after the emergence of the Hindraf movement. His caveat however, was that only the Indian Malaysian community could decide whether it wanted him to remain or not. In the general election, Samy lost his Sungai Siput parliamentary seat. (Source: Samy: This may be my last term, Malaysiakini, 19 Feb 2008)

“When the right time comes, I will make an announcement.

“That’s his party and his view.”

Samy Vellu in 2006, when asked if he would follow Gerakan president Tun Dr Lim Kheng Yaik who announced that he would relinquish the party presidency the following year. (Source: Samy to quit when the right time comes, theSun, 26 June 2006)

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