Vignes failed to help Indian youth, says Samy

KUALA LUMPUR: Former MIC Youth chief S. A. Vigneswaran was good at chairing meetings but failed to come out with clear programmes and policies to uplift Indian youths, said party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu Sunday.

In his first attack after his former protege asked him to step down, Samy said Vigneswaran had failed in his responsibilities, as there were more cases of Indian youths involved in juvenile problems and murders reported in the newspapers.

“He (Vigneswaran) should have focused his attention on the problems faced by the Indian youth apart from resolving the problems within the MIC Youth,” he told reporters after the joint opening of the MIC Wanita, Youth, Puteri and Putera MIC wings annual general assembly.

Vigneswaran, who was asked to relinquish his Youth chief post after having passed the age limit of 41 years, announced his resignation from the party on June 29.

He had said that he would only rejoin the party after Samy Vellu steps down as the president.

Samy Vellu said that he would not be cowed by threats from people who want to disrupt his functions in the various states.

“I know who is behind this. It is coming from Selangor. We are not be afraid of their sandiwara,(drama) ” he said, adding that elected leaders were required to work for the community.

He said that he had picked Vigneswaran from the streets, appointed him to the youth chief's post and recommended him to contest for the parliamentary seat and made him a parliamentary secretary.

Samy Vellu said Vigneswaran was now the loser as he could have waited and contested for a higher post in the party elections.

Earlier in his speech, Samy Vellu said certain leaders of the party's youth wing were only interested in achieving their political ambitions through cheap publicity.

“These leaders refuse to thrash out matters involving the party and the community through discussions but prefer to engage in cheap publicity stunts that could only damage and weaken the party.”

He said the 41-year age limit was imposed to provide more opportunities to capable and eligible younger generations to serve in various capacities in the youth wing at the divisional and state level.

Samy Vellu said the new state youth chiefs had been appointed while those who had already reached 41 years, would be given a role at the divisional and state levels.