Samy Vellu, a champion of education for the Indian community

Tun S. Samy Vellu, who died today, is hailed for his contribution to Malaysia's infrastructure, but he had toiled to make the Indian community excel in education as well.

Advocating the need for every Indian family to have at least one graduate, he established the Maju Institute of Educational Development (MIED) and set up Tafe College in Seremban and the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology or AIMST University in Bedong, Kedah.

MIED has so far provided scholarships and loans to more than 15,000 students, most of whom were Indians, to pursue medical, engineering, economics and information technology degrees.

According to a book 'Samy Vellu, as we know him', he personally paid the plan fees, the charges imposed by the local authority for the access road and expenses for the soil tests, landscaping and foundation of the Tafe College.

Samy Vellu, who served as president of MIC from 1981 to 2010, obtained a loan of RM2.089 million from United Asian Bank in his own name for the construction of the college, it said.

He had also been persistent in maintaining and improving the lot of Tamil schools in the country.

The determination he showed in ensuring that his initiatives realised their goals can be traced back to Sept 17, 1963, at the height of the Indonesian Confrontation, when he climbed the flagpole and brought down the Indonesian flag at the Indonesian Embassy in Jalan Ampang here.

According to the book, Samy Vellu was hailed as a Malaysian hero after several newspapers reported the incident on their front pages the following day.

At the age of 23, he joined the Batu Caves MIC Branch and moved up the political ladder to become the party president, serving in the post for 31 years, from 1981 to 2010.

He outlasted other Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders. Fellow politicians the late Tun Dr Lim Keng Yaik helmed Gerakan for 27 years (1980-2007), Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad spearheaded UMNO for 22 years (1981-2003), and Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik led the MCA for 16 years (1987-2003).

Samy Vellu also set up Maika Holdings and the Workers Housing Cooperative Society, the Social Strategic Foundation (YSS) and the Social Rehabilitation Foundation.

He also fought hard to bring in qualified priests to fill the shortage of priests in Hindu temples. He had worked closely with the Malaysia Hindu Sangam during the 90s to obtain permits from state governments and local councils to build or renovate temples.

He was one of the longest-serving leaders in the Cabinet. He was a Cabinet minister for about three decades, from 1979, mainly as the works minister.

Samy Vellu, who was born on March 8, 1936, died at about 7 am today at the age of 86. He leaves behind his wife Toh Puan R. Indrani, son Datuk Seri S. Vell Paari, daughter S. Mangayerkarasi, daughter-in-law Datin Seri Shaila Nair, four grandchildren and a great-grandson.

-- BERNAMA