MIC elections: Stop campaigns at noon, canvassing in hotel rooms barred

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KUALA LUMPUR: The MIC has told candidates contesting for party posts to stop their campaign from noon on Sept 11 – a day before the polls.

MIC election committee chairman Datuk K. Vijayanathan said the candidates were prohibited from canvassing for votes in the hotel rooms of delegates.

He said candidates and delegates were also strictly prohibited from bringing cellphones into the hall during the balloting period.

Vijayanathan said copies of the code of ethics had been sent to the candidates.

A total of 73 candidates are contesting for the posts of deputy president (three candidates), vice-presidents (seven going for three spots) and Central Working Committee members (63 people vying for 23 seats).

However, vice-presidential candidate P. Subramaniam did not agree with the ruling that all campaigning should cease at noon on Sept 11.

“It is unfair. We should be allowed to campaign until midnight before polling as in the previous elections,” he said.

A party official said the move was to prevent campaigning during the traditional pre-assembly dinner hosted by party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.

Vijayanathan explained that candidates had been given three weeks to campaign and that this should be sufficient.

“I don’t think they can achieve much more by campaigning during the additional 12 hours,” he said.

Vijayanathan said the delegates would be arriving from all over the country and should be given time to rest.