Vocal fighter for the Indian community

IT is my profound honour to offer this tribute to Tun S. Samy Vellu who passed away yesterday.

He was my contemporary in the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council headed by Tun Hussein Onn when I was president of the People’s Progressive Party (1978 to 1981) and he was leader of MIC.

During deliberations pertaining to national issues that were brought to the supreme council meetings by the respective leaders of the Barisan component parties, Samy Vellu was always very vocal and adamant in pushing for matters pertaining to the Indian community.

There were some disagreements during the meetings but at the end of the day, we always reached a consensus, and this was sent to the Cabinet and subsequently to Parliament.

Among Samy Vellu’s greatest contributions to the Indian community is the setting up of Maju Institute of Education Development (MIED), which was established in 1984 as a private, non-profitable organisation to offer education loans.

Samy Vellu was also the driving force in the establishment of TAFE (Technical and Further Education) College in Seremban, and the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST) University in Bedong, Kedah.

I extend my deepest condolences to Datuk Seri S. Vell Paari and the family.

SENATOR (R) SI RAJAH

Kuala Lumpur