PETALING JAYA, June 9 — The MIC disciplinary committee has defended its action over the sacking of the party’s Kedah Youth council member K. Somasundaram who had repeatedly attacked the party’s leadership in recent months.
Its disciplinary committee chairman Tan Sri K. S. Nijhar said MIC had followed necessary procedures including issuing a show cause letter to Somasundaram, 37, before expelling him from the party on May 12.
Nijhar said Somasundaram, who joined MIC in 1999, had been attacking party president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel over several matters including the delay of the appointment of four senators reserved for the party.
“We sent him a show cause letter over his misconduct and he replied. Although we found his explanation to be unsatisfactory, we decided to not take action against him,” he said.
“But he continued to attack the president and this was when we decided to sack him.”
Nijhar also criticised the action of a group of supporters aligned to Somasundram who had protested in front of his house in Bangsar on Saturday.
“Why was there a need to go to the streets? They could have used a more intelligent method instead of making Indians look like gangsters,” said Nijhar yesterday.
“If he really wanted to be back in the party, all he had to do was to appeal with the party’s central working committee or raise the matter at the division or state level.”
However, when contacted, Somasundaram denied receiving any show cause letter from MIC.
“Nijhar is lying. I did not receive any letter and I want to know why I was sacked,” he said.
He said he felt he had done no wrong by questioning the delay in the appointment of senators, as it would benefit the party and the community.
“I merely questioned the delay in the appointment of the senators and I do not view this as something wrong,” he said.
Somasundaram explained the protest outside Nijhar’s house was held due the lack of response from Palanivel and Nijhar when he contacted them to discuss his sacking.
“I tried to get in touch with them many times, but they did not respond to my calls,” he said.
He said while he had filed an appeal to the disciplinary committee against his sacking, he hoped Palanivel would make recommendations for the appointment of senators by the end of the month.
“I hope they will take me back as I do not see myself joining any other party. All I am asking is for the president to speed up the appointment of the senators.
Meanwhile, MIC Youth chief C. Sivarraajh admitted the party could have handled the problem involving Somasundram in a more professional manner.
“Although Somasundaram was wrong when he questioned Palanivel, I believe the committee should have discussed the matter thoroughly before it decided to sack him.
He said investigations were being carried out to determine if any of the MIC’s youth members had taken part in the protest over the weekend.
Palanivel was not available for comments.
