After Ling, GAS wants Samy hauled to court

By Patrick Lee

SHAH ALAM: When former MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik was hauled to court recently, it sent a chill down many a powerful spine. Suddenly, the notion that some were above the law had been shattered.

Certain quarters saw it as an election gimmick, crafted to exhibit the government's seriouness in dealing with corruption without fear or favour.

Inspired by this, several former MIC leaders now want the party's long-term president S Samy Vellu to face the music for his alleged misdeeds as well.

Failing which, they warned: "If Samy Vellu is not brought to justice, then the federal government will have to pay the price... Pakatan Rakyat will win the next election."

With this in mind, the Gerakan Anti-Samy Vellu (GAS) movement leaders knocked on the door of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) state headquarters here this morning.

V Mugilan, KP Samy and G Kumar Amman, with some 50 supporters in tow, came armed with evidence of Samy Vellu's alleged abuses with regard to MIC's education arm, the Maju Institute of Education Development (MIED) funds.

Among them, the purchase of a Rolex watch worth RM22,700 and a gold chain as well as bracelet worth RM50,000.

Mugilan, the former MIC Youth deputy chief, was axed by Samy Vellu when he had called on the 74-year-old president of three decades to quit with immediate effect. KP Samy and Kumar, both former central working committee members, were given the boot for backing the call.

'Is Samy Vellu so powerful?'

Speaking to reporters after filing the report, KP Samy said: "Ling was charged because he caused losses to the government. Likewise, Samy Vellu brought losses to the Indian community."

"This is the first time we have come to MACC as the commission represents a new hope for us," he added.

Meanwhile, Mugilan expressed disappointment with the lack of action by enforcement agencies against the MIC boss in the past despite a litany of reports having been filed over the years.

"Is Samy Vellu so strong that the government cannot take any action (against him)?" he asked. "If Ling can be charged, why not Samy Vellu? Big guns can be charged... Samy Vellu is nothing."

The GAS leaders also promised to submit more evidence regarding Samy Vellu in the coming weeks.

Among the accusations made in today's report were that the MIC president had made rampant withdrawals from MIED accounts, and awarded contracts at inflated costs to many of his associates.

Mugilan also alleged that Samy Vellu had embezzled “huge amounts” of money from MIED, in his capacity as chairman, for his own interests.

According to the report, these allegations were made by former MIED CEO P Chithirakala Vasu in the Kuala Lumpur High Court last year.

'RM31 million for landscape contract'

As for the contracts, the report claimed that Samy Vellu had awarded the landscape contract for MIC's Aimst University to a company called Nova Blooms for a whopping RM27 million.

“The principal owner of Nova Blooms G Komathy is the classmate of one Rosaline from Ipoh who is a close associate of Samy Vellu. The initial contract was for RM27 million but on the insistence of Samy Vellu, a total of RM31 million was paid to Nova Blossoms till November 2008,” it said.

However, the report claimed that MIED had to fork out an additional RM2.2 million to complete the unfinished job by Nova Blooms using a third party contractor.

Apart from this, the report also alleged that the landscape maintenance work for Aimst University was awarded to Classic Sparkle Sdn Bhd.

“Roseline of Ipoh had signed as the managing director of Classic Sparkle in all coresspondence to MIED. To the best of our knowledge, Classic Sparkle is owned by Roseline. Her bodyguard by the name of R Kanappah is holding the shares in Classic Sparkle in trust for Roseline,” it said.

The report stated that the maintenance contract was first awarded to IT Sisma International Sdn Bhd for a sum of RM18,800 per month or RM225,600 per year.

“On the instructions of Samy Vellu, the contract with IT Sisma was prematurely terminated and the same contract was awarded to Classic Sparkle at RM50,000 per month. Subsequently, this was increased to RM56,300 per month,” it added.

GAS leaders see Ling’s prosecution as BN clean-up

By Baradan Kuppusamy

July 30, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 — Supporters and leaders of the Gerakan Anti-Samy Vellu (GAS) see the prosecution of former MCA president Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik as a strong indication of the government’s determination to “clean up” Barisan Nasional ahead of the next general election.

“We are excited and we hope the government follows through with its investigation of the numerous reports we have lodged against Samy Vellu,” said GAS founder V. Mugilan.

“We need our faith in the MACC and the police restored,” he said.

He said numerous reports had been lodged against Datuk Seri Samy Vellu over the mismanagement of Maika Holdings and Maju Institute of Education Development (MIED), the education arm of the MIC, as well as the RM1 billion AIMST university scandals.

“We want the government to act without fear or favour,” Mugilan said, but added they had not heard any positive outcome.

“It’s as if complaints have all disappeared into a deep, dark hole,” he explained.

Various reports and lawsuits have been filed against Samy Vellu, and directors of Maika Holdings and MIED alleging mismanagement and corruption but while police and the MACC have are investigating these allegations, nobody has been charged despite millions in losses.

The exception is former MIED CEO Chitrakala Vasu, who was close to Samy Vellu but fell out with the MIC leader last year, and was charged in May with three counts of cheating MIED of RM4 million.

Mugilan said he is not against Dr Ling in any way but is heartened that even such a well-connected politician has been brought to the dock.

“It shows the government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is not hesitant to charge a VVIP even though the Barisan name will be tarnished,” Mugilan said. “We look forward to more individuals facing the music for what they have done.”

Another GAS leader K.P. Samy said he lodged a police report against Samy Vellu and Maika Holdings as early as 2004 but to date nothing has come of it.

“If a person like Dr Ling can be charged, what about lesser individuals,” Samy said. “I was told Samy Vellu has left for Australia.”

Both Mugilan and Samy were sacked from the MIC for demanding that Samy Vellu, who has been party president since 1979, resign immediately.

They want Samy Vellu to leave now and not in September 2012 to give the MIC time to reform and regroup under a new, untainted leadership. This is so the party can try to win back the support of the Indian community.

Sources say the prime minister’s patience is wearing thin and that he wants Samy Vellu to leave by December at the latest.

A job as ambassador at large for South Asia with ministerial rank is there for Samy Vellu’s taking to sweeten his departure, Barisan Nasional sources said.

But the charging of Dr Ling, GAS sources said, indicates time is running out for Samy Vellu and others who are clinging on as party leaders although they have been discredited in the eyes of the electorate.

“Najib needs to tie up the loose ends, and show a new and united team to the voters. He is not going to carry dead wood with him into the next election,” said sources. “It is a do or die battle and every vote counts.”

Bahaya kaki ampu di sekeliling Presiden MIC — Paul Mutusamy

July 13, 2010

13 JULAI — Perhimpinunan Agung MIC Ke-64 yang “menumpang” di Dewan Merdeka, Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra pada Sabtu dan Ahad lalu tidaklah menarik untuk dibincangkan. Tiada apa tindakan dan resolusi yang memberangsangkan.

Balik-balik cerita tentang kepimpinan MIC yang banyak jasa. Mereka tidak banyak berbincang kaedah untuk menarik pengundi India menyokong MIC dan Barisan Nasional (BN).

Ingatlah pesanan Pengerusi BN, Datuk Seri Najib Razak supaya MIC segera melakukan perubahan bagi mengelakkan ia ditolak sepenuhnya oleh komuniti India dan akhirnya musnah dalam sistem politik negara.

Gesaan itu perlu diberi perhatian serius kerana masalah dalaman MIC sehingga kini masih wujud dan boleh merosakkan masa depan parti itu.

Antara perubahan yang perlu dilakukan ialah memastikan MIC kembali menjadi parti pembela rakyat dan bukannya sebagai medan untuk melebarkan pengaruh atau kuasa politik bagi pihak-pihak tertentu. Tetapi apa yang banyak dibahaskan oleh perwakilan lebih kepada unsur mengampu.

Ada pula perwakilan MIC yang kaki ampu meminta presidennya supaya memegang jawatan tertinggi parti itu untuk 100 tahun lagi.

Kalau hendak mengampu biarlah berdasarkan realiti. Kalau dikatakan pemimpin MIC itu mempunyai kredibiliti tinggi, masakan undi masyarakat India sudah beralih arah kepada pemimpin India dari parti pembangkang seperti DAP dan PKR.

Hal ini masih belum banyak berubah. Kalau sokongan masyarakat India kepada BN dikatakan sudah kembali, itu pun bukan dengan usaha pemimpin MIC sebaliknya atas daya usaha Perdana Menteri sendiri dan pemimpin Barisan Nasional yang lain.

Jadi janganlah pemimpin-peminpin MIC cepat membuat rumusan tentang kejayaan mereka.

Saya bimbang, golongan kaki ampu yang berada di sekeliling Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu boleh memudaratkan Presiden MIC itu sendiri.

Dua bulan lalu, Samy Vellu mengumumkan pelan perletakan jawatannya yang mungkin berlangsung pada akhir tahun depan. Tetapi cadangan itu mendapat bantahan daripada ahli-ahli MIC dan pelbagai pihak.

Malah melalui komen-komen mengampu di Perhimpunan Agung MIC itu dibimbangi Presiden MIC yang sudah 31 tahun memimpin MIC akan berubah fikiran.

Kalau Samy Vellu membatalkan janjinya sendiri, bermakna MIC tak akan ke mana-mana. Bukan Samy Vellu tidak bagus, tetapi jika terlalu lama dalam tampuk pimpinan, maka barisan pelapis pun jadi tua dan tiada idea untuk kemajuan kaum India.

Kalau hanya perwakilan mempunyai kuasa memastikan presiden meletakkan jawatan, maka biarkanlah MIC dengan haluannya. Masyarakat India akan melihat orang MIC memang tidak boleh ditegur dan dinasihat. Mereka fikir dengan kuasa yang ada sebagai perwakilan MIC boleh menentukan siapa yang mempunyai kuasa di negara ini. Dan tiada sesiapa berhak menggesa presiden partinya meletakkan jawatan.

Jika demikian, biarkanlah Samy Vellu dan penyokongnya. Jangan sesiapa pun memaksa beliau berhenti. Tidak perlulah MIC sibuk-sibuk menilai diri.

Sebagai rakyat Malaysia berketurunan India, saya malu apabila orang MIC suka menyalahkan orang lain atas kelemahan parti mereka.

Kenapa menyalahkan Presiden Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa), Datuk Ibrahim Ali sebagai punca utama masalah antara kaum di negara ini.

Perkasa mengeluarkan kenyataan-kenyataan yang dianggap melampau sehingga menimbulkan kemarahan di kalangan masyarakat India dan Cina di negara ini kerana mereka mahu pertahankan hak yang terkandung dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

Pada saya kalau pemimpin MIC bijak dalam menjalin kerjasama dengan Perkasa atau NGO Melayu yang lain, tidak timbul perbalahan di kalangan masyarakat Malaysia.

Begitu juga kenapa perwakilan MIC tiba-tiba mengutuk akhbar Utusan Malaysia dengan mendakwa menjadi pencetus masalah masyarakat India di negara ini. Masalah kaum India berpunca daripada mereka sendiri yang mungkin diabaikan oleh pemimpin MIC juga.

Hakikatnya perwakilan MIC terlalu emosional. Mereka bagaikan tidak tahu menari tapi mahu menyalahkan lantai yang tidak rata.

Belajarlah daripada kejatuhan Parti Kongres India, yang kemudian bangkit untuk menarik minat rakyat semula. MIC boleh melakukan kebangkitan dengan syarat berani berubah dan melaksanakan perubahan.

Ada beberapa bulan lagi sebelum Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-13, mungkin MIC dapat menunjukkan sesuatu dan bukan sekadar slogan dan retorik semata-mata. — Utusan Malaysia

When You Gotta Go...

by Kee Thuan Chye

THIS weekend, at the MIC’s annual general assembly, will Samy Vellu give in to the mounting pressure for him to quit as party president immediately or will he carry on regardless? Can we expect fireworks that might climax in an earth-shaking announcement from him or will it be business as usual? Chances are Samy will not budge from his position. He has declared that he will not see through the rest of his term as president, which ends in May 2012, and will instead step down in September 2011. But the voices calling for him to depart earlier are getting louder, especially after he used his powers to expel four party leaders for ostensibly urging him to quit. Even S. Murugessan was removed as secretary-general for speaking out against the expulsion. It is Samy’s intolerance of dissent that has made him less than endearing even to some of his own party members. His other major downside is that he has been president for far too long – 31 years is practically half the time the 64-year-old party has been in existence. Significant events over the last three years have shown up his declining worth as a national leader and as that of a party claiming to represent his ethnic community. First, the Hindraf rally in 2007 dealt a severe blow to the relevance of the MIC to the Indians, for which Samy must shoulder the bulk of the responsibility. Then at the March 8, 2008, general election, he lost his self-proclaimed “fortress”, the parliamentary seat of Sungai Siput, conquered by the humble Michael Jeyakumar. Last April, for the Hulu Selangor by-election, his choice of candidate was rejected by the Barisan Nasional leadership. He wanted his deputy, G. Palanivel, to stand, but Prime Minister and BN chairman Najib Razak and his Umno colleagues had other ideas. The word going round then was that they preferred MIC Deputy Youth Chief V. Mugilan whom Samy opposed. In the end, a compromise was made and P. Kamalanathan got the job. Nonetheless, Samy lost face. How could he henceforth stand up for his party within the coalition, and effectively represent his community? And then, before he could recover from it, his detractors let out GAS. Mugilan, one of the four expelled by Samy “for working against the MIC and BN”, organised a campaign called Gerakan Anti-Samy (GAS) to pressure him to quit. If nothing else, it has caused untold embarrassment to Samy. On top of that, they are demanding that he step down on July 10, the first day of the general assembly. They have threatened that if he fails to do so, they would expose the details of scandals that have been plaguing the party and the wrongs that Samy has allegedly committed. No other prominent national leader has had to suffer such ignominy. Samy should have left while the going was still good. Like Mahathir Mohamad, whom he avowedly reveres despite the former PM’s exhortation to him to step down earlier. Like Ling Liong Sik of the MCA. Like Lim Keng Yaik of Gerakan. They, too, might have also been pressured to go, but the good thing for them is, they did. Now it might be too late for Samy to make an honourable exit. He won’t be able to salvage any pride. The response to it among detractors and even neutrals would be one of relief, certainly not sympathy or respect. And in future, history would still record that he long overstayed his tenure. It should be interesting to see what Najib, who is opening the MIC general assembly on July 10, will say in his address to the MIC delegates, and how telling his body language will be when he relates to Samy. Najib has been long enough in the business to know that politicians have their sell-by date and he can recognise one that’s gone way beyond that. Going by his expression of admiration a few days ago for the German team in the World Cup tournament, a team that invested faith in young people with talent and team spirit, one could infer that he would prefer a new, perhaps even younger, MIC president. Perhaps someone like S. Subramaniam who made a meteoric rise to become Human Resource Minister when his party seniors lost their seats on March 8, 2008. Interestingly, those who have been pushing for Samy to go have not talked about what should happen afterwards, like who would succeed him and what plans the successor would have for re-energising the party to win back voter support. Although Samy has recently announced that Palanivel will be the one to succeed him, it may not turn out to be as clear-cut as that. With talk already rife that Mugilan is being sponsored by outside forces, which Samy’s son, Vell Paari, has publicly identified as Umno, who’s to say that Najib and Umno might not want to get into the act again and influence the succession outcome? Why would they not intervene when this may be crucial to BN’s performance at the next general election? July 10 will be an interesting day, indeed. Political pundits watching for signs may indeed spot a few. Mugilan can still hope to bring Samy down if one of the delegates calls for an EGM to vote on a motion of no-confidence against Samy. But who will be brave enough to bell the cat? Who will risk being sacked from the party if the subsequent vote favours Samy? At the end of the day, if no one makes a move, Samy will remain as he is. And the bravado he displayed when he said this last Sunday will continue to pique his antagonists: “No one can do anything to me or the party. And if anyone tries to destroy the party, fate will ensure that they themselves are destroyed.” Some might call that chutzpah; others call it hubris.

Samy Vellu’s long goodbye starts this weekend

KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 — The MIC’s 64th AGM starts tomorrow with the party at a major crossroads — still led by defiant but discredited president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and unsure how to win back Indian support.

In the 2008 general election that followed the 2007 Hindraf protest, the party lost massively on the back of voter rejection, not just by Indians but also Malays and Chinese, who saw Samy Vellu and the party as fossilised organisms living in the past.While Indian voter support is gradually returning, the trend is more for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak personally and an endorsement of his outreach programmes than for Barisan Nasional (BN), the MIC or for Samy Vellu, who along with his son Vell Paari, are simply hated figures.The big question for the 3,000 delegates tomorrow is, when will Samy Vellu step down? And where is the party heading to after that?Can his successor unite the party, give direction and perform in the 13th general election that is rushing up? Will the party break up and disappear from the political scene?Samy Vellu has come under severe pressure to give a firm date to step down.The September 2011 date he announced three months ago is unacceptable because the MIC, with Samy Vellu out of the way, needs ample time to revamp and offer the community a new hope under a new leader.What programmes the new leader offers and how these are received will go a long way to decide the MIC’s future.Samy Vellu, said his closes allies, is beginning to wind up in preparation for an early exit that can come as early as January 2011.“He is telling his closest allies and long time friends that he can’t continue any longer, that the pressure is too great on him and that they should all prepare for a day soon without his support,” a top retired MIC leader told The Malaysian Insider.“He used to play it close to his chest but now he is telling us about his plans,” he said. “We expect him to make an announcement on his plans at the AGM on Saturday.”“He will say he is leaving soon but is not likely to give a firm date,” the leader said but adding January 2011 is the final date. “He can’t go on after that, the country’s political situation will not allow it.”Sources told The Malaysian Insider, that deputy president Datuk G Palanivel, with the assistance of the government and its agencies, has a plan in place to start the revamp of the party soon after Samy Vellu steps down.

Najib is willing to consider any request for assistance by a MIC under a new leadership and has already made good on his promises to assist the Indian community in various ways with his direct cash and other assistance to Sri Murugan Centre, the community’s highly appreciated social reform movement through education.He has provided a special unit trust investment scheme although it remains under-subscribed for want of cash to subscribe. He has given money for Tamil schools improvement and offered more scholarships.He has set up a Cabinet committee on the Indian community, chaired by him, to oversee implementation.All these assistance is by-passing the MIC and making it increasingly an irrelevant organisation.But it would end the moment Samy Vellu is out of the way, the sources said. “Without him the MIC will be once more be partners with Najib.”Under the circumstances, Samy Vellu’s best option is to get what he can get through negotiations for his retirement, step down and keep out of the way.With the Gerakan Anti Samy Vellu or GAS not letting up on their mission to constantly harass Samy Vellu out, the days are numbered for the veteran who became president in 1979 on the sudden death of then incumbent Tan Sri V. Manicavasagam.“We are not going to let up but continue demanding for him to step down. We want an inquiry into the millions in losses suffered by MIED and Maika Holdings,” said GAS founder V. Mugilan, the former MIC deputy Youth chief.While some veteran Samy Vellu sycophants are arguing against pressuring Samy Vellu to step down, the younger generation is all for a new leader at the helm.

“The MIC is full of leaders over 60 years old. It is a tired, spent party for old men and led by an old man who would soon need a stick to stand,” said Mugilan. “How will the MIC ever attract the younger generation.”Samy Vellu told the Wanita wing at their AGM last week that it was his last time addressing them, which many take as a cue that this AGM is the final curtain for Samy Vellu.Said a Wanita leader, Samy Vellu is expected to exit in January 2011 and use the Pravasi Indian Diaspora meet in India in January as the forum to take leave of Tamils on the world stage for he had in better times, imagined himself as a world Tamil leader. It is very likely that Saturday’s AGM, to be opened by Najib, will be Samy Vellu’s very last.And he would be leaving as a disgraced leader — with Maika Holdings in shambles and his brainchild MIED suing him and his crony directors for RM100 million.Unloved and unwanted, the Indian community will be happy to see the last of Samy Vellu.

MIC supporters disrupt Klang anti-Samy Vellu rally (Updated)

By EDWARD R. HENRY

KLANG: MIC members and supporters gate-crashed the second anti-Samy Vellu rally here Sunday and brought it to an early end.

Former Taman Maznah MIC chairman S. Chandran and former Klang division chairman K. Tharmalingam headed the group of about 50 people, who became embroiled in heated debates with those attending the rally, resulting in minor scuffles outside and in the hall.

The group, claiming to be loyal to party chief Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, had gathered at the venue even before the event was scheduled to start at 1pm.

"Don't ever utter a word about MIC. You must not mention Samy Vellu's name. Get out of this hall as you have no place here," Chandran told rally supporters, before barging into the hall around 2pm.

Gerakan Anti-Samy Vellu (GAS) leaders V. Mugilan and G. Kumar Aamaan, together with rally organiser K.P. Samy, a former MIC central working committee member who was sacked earlier, clashed verbally with the hostile group inside the hall.

The shouting between the two groups grew louder as Chandran challenged the organisers, with minor scuffles erupting near the stage.

In an attempted to cool tempers, Aamaan held up a book, The Life of Mahatma Gandhi by Louis Fisher, and began to chant "Ahimsa" (which means non-violence in Sanskrit) and people in the hall followed suit.

Policemen entered the hall around 2.10pm to keep the situation from getting out of control.

The organisers ended the gathering of 1,500 at 3pm, two hours earlier than scheduled, on the advice of the Klang police chief.

Samy called for press conference on the stage and handed out a four-page memorandum to the press.

"We are unable to hold a peaceful gathering as Samy Vellu sent his gangsters to wreak havoc. All we wanted to do was chart out the future of the Indians in this nation and get their support, which would be handed to the Prime Minister," he said.

The four-page memorandum contained nine issues, including calling for the government to lower the schooling age to five, reduce personal tax, establish kindergartens within existing Tamil schools, rehabilitate prisoners and redefine poverty.

Mugilan also called for Samy Vellu to step down.

Samy Vellu announced earlier that he would step down in 2012 and not on July 10, as demanded by his critics.

Klang Police Chief Asst Comm Muhammad Mat Yusop said 60 policemen, together with the light strike force, were deployed to keep the situation in control.

In Klang, the only loser was Samy Vellu

KLANG, July 4 — MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, with the Barisan Nasional (BN) political establishment behind him, has never lost a fight.

But at the Dewan Hamzah in Klang today his streak ended.

He lost a crucial battle with about 1,000 ordinary people who had gathered at the hall to denounce him despite concerted attempts to disrupt and end the proceeding by his supporters who gate-crashed the event.

About 30 supporters held the gathering to ransom.

The organizers, the three leaders of Gerakan Anti Samy Vellu or GAS – K.P.Samy, V. Mugilan and Kumar Amman - and several other expelled MIC members braved the heckling, harassment and disruption by Samy’s supporters.

But they held on until police arrived to cheers from the audience.

For nearly an hour, from 2pm, the organizers battled with them, with not a single policemen present, except for plainclothes Special Branch detectives who did not interfere to stop the disruption.

Only after people in the audience raised their voices and demanded, “where are the police?” did a dozen uniformed police arrive and stop the disruption.

Samy Vellu lost whatever little respect he still enjoys with the Indian community as one after another in the audience cursed his name.

The gatecrashers, led by well known MIC characters like MIC divisional leader Taman Maznah Chandran and incumbent MIC Youth leader Siva Subramaniam and others of their ilk, continued to argue with police and demanded that not a word was mentioned of Samy Vellu and MIC.

Urged by the police GAS leaders gave short speeches not mentioning Samy Vellu along with former Hindraf leaders Ganapathi Rao, now in DAP, and independent activist P. Gengadharan.

However, Mugilan in his five-minute speech, heckled by the Samy Vellu supporters, gave a fiery speech urging the people to rise up against Samy Vellu.

The meeting ended on that note with the people leaving satisfied that although the group sought to disrupt their gathering they had prevailed and had urged Samy Vellu to step down.

“I am happy that despite so much disruption we managed to shout “Down with Samy!”,” said S. Vellu Samy from Negri Sembilan.

”We won, Samy Vellu lost…he is not fit to lead us any more after this show of gangsterism,” he said.

In Klang today, Samy Vellu’s mask fell and he lost terribly.

Staying as party president and claiming to be leader of the Indian community is simply untenable.

Not a day longer was the message those in Dewan Hamzah sent out to the man who has been president since 1979.

However, the day was not without its irony.

Among those who urged the goons to disappear was Bharat Maniam, the expelled Petaling Jaya MIC division chairman who was the muscle Samy Vellu had used to strike terror among supporters of former expelled vice-president Tan Sri M.G. Pandithan.

Kumar Amman, the sacked MIC CWC member and a leader of GAS, had only months ago attacked an aide to Penang Deputy Chief Minister Dr P. Ramasamy as part of a MIC Youth demonstration against the DAP.

Today, he was carrying a book about Indian independence leader Mohandas Gandhi and shouting “Ahimsa! Ahimsa!” as goons threatened to assault them.

“Yes, I assaulted him but that is a different Kumar Amman…that Kumar Amman no longer exists,” said Kumar Amman.

Ganapathi Rao, a DAP member, said in his short speech that there is nothing wrong in Indians of all persuasions to come together for the good of the community while Gengadharan told The Malaysian Insider he was politically independent.

K.P.Samy, who had dreams of joining Pakatan Rakyat, ended his speech condemning the gatecrashers as “street animals and paid goons” and ended his speech, startling the audience with three shouts of, Long Live Najib!

The only loser was Samy Vellu.