Saravanan to contest for MIC deputy president

The MIC vice-president said it was an open secret that he intends to run for deputy presidency.

However, his current focus was to find a solution to the leadership problems within the party.

“For now, the most important thing is the MIC leadership. I don’t have a problem if I don’t contest, as long as the party gets the right leader to bring the party to the next level,” he told a media conference at the MIC headquarters here.

Saravanan, who before this had stated his intention to run for presidency, said he fully supports MIC deputy president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam’s candidacy for the top post.

The Deputy Youth and Sports Minister and Tapah MP also lashed out at quarters who ‘exaggerated on the party’s internal crisis’.

“It’s not like crisis such as this had never happened in the country before. Other parties have had their own crises.

“Which party in this country has never experienced a crisis? This is not something new in Barisan Nasional (BN) or the Opposition.

“Don’t blow things out of proportion. All parties have their problems and we will certainly rise above ours,” said Saravanan.

On the establishment of a secretariat as suggested by the BN leadership yesterday, Saravanan said MIC at this point does not agree to any third party interference, although the party welcomes views, advices and suggestions from BN.

Yesterday, BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor had announced a suggestion for a special secretariat to be established to resolve the crisis within MIC.

He had claimed that Dr Subramaniam had agreed to the idea but the latter later denied it.