‘Subra’s side broke the rules’

KUALA LUMPUR: The MIC faction aligned to embattled president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel has alleged that interim Central Working Committee (CWC) meetings chaired by Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam did not follow procedures.

Datuk S. Sothinathan (pic), who is recognised as secretary-general by Palanivel’s supporters, claimed that the MIC records did not show any requisition to hold CWC meetings, which according to the party constitution, should be submitted to the secretary-general.

“I checked the records and there is no evidence of any written request or any formal notice given to CWC members, therefore I can only conclude that no such meeting took place.

“If this is the case, that faction has submitted minutes and resolutions of an unauthorised meeting to the Registrar of Societies,” he said at a press conference yesterday.

Sothinathan was referring to an interim CWC meeting chaired by Dr Subramaniam a day after the High Court ruled that the party must conduct re-elections as per the RoS directive.

In the meeting on June 16, Dr Subramaniam and interim CWC members resolved that re-elections would be held at all stages in the party, starting with branch elections this month.

It was also announced that Palanivel and four others who took RoS to court had lost their membership automatically because they did so without the CWC approval, and that Dr Subramaniam would take over as acting president until the elections were over.

Asked about his recent meeting with RoS, Sothinathan said RoS had declined to publicly comment on the matter, at least until the Court of Appeal had heard the case.

“The application for a stay order of the High Court decision has been fixed for July 6, while the appeal for a judicial review at the Court of Appeal will be heard on July 13,” he said.