Five divisions urge action against Bagan MIC duo

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GEORGE TOWN: Leaders from five of the 13 MIC divisions in Penang are urging the party leadership to take disciplinary action against two Bagan MIC division leaders.

They said Bagan MIC acting chairman M. Letchumanasamy and secretary S. Muniandy should not question the appointment of state MIC secretary M. Karuppanan as the new Barisan Nasional coordinator for the Bagan Dalam state seat.

Balik Pulau MIC division chairman P. Arumugam, who acted as the group’s spokesman, said the duo should respect the decision of party president Datuk G. Palanivel to appoint Karuppanan.

“By publicly demanding that suspended Bagan MIC chief Datuk Henry Benedict Asirvatham be appointed coordinator, they are doing more harm than good for the image of the party,” he said at a press conference at the state MIC headquarters yesterday. He said it was inappropriate for the party to appoint Asirvatham as he had been suspended till end of the year.

Others leaders present were from the Permatang Pauh, Jelutong, Balik Pulau, Bukit Bendera and Tanjung divisions.

Stop the dissension: The Penang MIC division leaders calling for disciplinary action against their Bagan counterparts at the press conference yesterday.

Henry was sacked in June for his comments against the party’s leadership following the readmission of three Central Working Committee (CWC) members K.P. Samy, G. Kumar Amaan and Deputy Youth leader V. Mugilan who had launched a movement to oust then president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.

However, the CWC decided to rescind the sacking in August and suspended him until the end of the year after he sent an appeal letter to the committee, promising not to repeat his comments.

Arumugam also said that the Bagan division should appreciate the move by the party leadership in reducing Henry’s expulsion to a suspension.

When contacted, Letchumanasamy said the division was against Karuppanan as the locals there do not know him.

“We are worried as Karuppanan has less support among the people. We are protesting in the best inte-rest of the party. We are not out to create any rift in the party,” he said.

State MIC chairman Datuk P.K. Subbaiyah was the Barisan coordinator for the Bagan Dalam seat but he relinquished the post after being appointed Senator.