Samy, Subra at each other’s throat again
(Bernama) – Old wounds were reopened today after MIC president S Samy Vellu slammed S Subramaniam, his former deputy of 22 years, threatening to expose how ineffective the latter had been during his long tenure.
"I am prepared to meet him at any platform to tell the people what kind of a person he is and how ineffective he was as a deputy president," an irked Samy Vellu told Bernama when contacted here today.
The feud between the two had been going on for more than 20 years but a peace deal was brokered after the March 8, 2008, general election, following the devastating defeat of Barisan Nasional candidates, including MIC representatives.
The deal lasted barely a few months, and all hell broke loose after Samy Vellu openly endorsed incumbent G Palanivel for the deputy presidency in the party election, scheduled for Sept 12. Subramaniam and MIC vice-president S Sothinathan will also contest the post.
At the 2006 party polls Palanivel convincingly beat Subramaniam, who had been deputy president since early 1980s, with a 438-vote majority, polling 933
votes against Subramaniam's 495.
Talked like a thug
Immediately after the nominations last Saturday, Samy Vellu launched a stinging attack on Subramaniam, calling him for a debate and Subramaniam took up the challenge yesterday, saying that he would set a time and date for the debate.
Subramaniam also said that Samy Vellu's statement on Saturday was thuggish in nature and did not reflect the action of a veteran leader.
However, Samy Vellu said it was not for Subramaniam to decide on the time and date as it was Samy Vellu who had issued the challenge.
He said he was currently meeting his team and party delegates on a daily basis.
"I will deal with Subramaniam when the time comes," he said, declining to say whether it would be before or after the party polls.
On Subramaniam's statement that he spoke like a ganster, Samy Vellu said he was not the one who brought thugs into the MIC headquarters compound and damaged the party's image.
