KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 — MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel today suspended his deputy Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam and 14 others for a year with immediate effect for defying his orders not to hold the party’s Interim Central Working Committee meeting.

The other 14 are MIC vice-president Datuk M. Saravanan, MIC Wanita chief Mohana Muniandy and 12 Central Working Committee (CWC) members Datuk Seri S.K.  Devamany, N. Rawisandran, Datuk R. Ganesan, Datuk M. Davendran, Datuk K.R.A.  Naidu, Datuk V.M. Panjamothy, P. Manivasagam, S. Ananthan, M. Mathuraiveran, Datuk M. Asojan, P. Shanmugan and K.R. Parthiban.  Palanivel in an eight-paragraph statement issued here today, said: “By virtue of the powers vested in me as president of the Malaysian Indian Congress under Article 61.1 of the MIC constitution, I have suspended the membership of the following persons in MIC for a period of twelve (12) months with immediate effect.”

Palanivel said he had issued a memo to all CWC members and other leaders to cancel the said illegal meeting of the Interim CWC yesterday, and had asked them to forward to him the cancellation notice. 

“Despite my said memo dated June 15, 2015, these individuals had not cancelled the scheduled meeting,” he said.

The MIC chief said it was beyond doubt that their action was clearly detrimental to the interests of MIC. 

“The other members who also signed the illegal notice have already been suspended by me earlier, and their suspensions remain.  “I have issued the letters of suspension yesterday which will be received by them in due course,” he said.

Palanivel said by virtue of the suspension of their membership, pursuant to Article 13.2 of the MIC constitution, they shall not exercise any of their rights as a member under Articles 13.1, 13.1.1, 13.1.2, 13.1.3 and 13.1.4 of the MIC constitution.

Dr Subramaniam had at 1pm today, chaired the Interim CWC 2009-2013 meeting at the MIC headquarters although their party membership had been suspended.

The meeting was also attended by Saravanan and 16 CWC members, including those who had been suspended.

However, the situation at the MIC headquarters was under control and without any commotion created by party members.

The Interim CWC meeting was held following the High Court’s decision yesterday to reject two judicial review applications by Palanivel and four others to annul the directive of the Registrar of Societies for the MIC to hold re-elections. — Bernama