KOTA BAHARU: Refusing to be drawn into a prolonged war of words with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, MIC President Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said Friday he rather not reply to a statement made by the former prime minister.
Saying he was "just a dust", the former works minister said he would not make comments that could put the good name of his former boss in a bad light.
"I'm nobody, I'm just a dust. I cannot reply to him in any way that will belittle him. I don't want to cause any damage to his good name.
"He is my former boss. He had been a strong leader who had done a lot to develop the country... I rather not make comments about him," he told reporters after opening the Kelantan MIC general meeting here.
Samy Vellu said this when asked to comment on the statement by Dr Mahathir that he (Samy Vellu) was a racist for sympathising with the group Hindraf.
The former prime minister made the statement in his blog www.chedet.com, which was also published in several newspapers on Friday.
Samy Vellu said the main thrust of his previous remarks was the effort to unite the multiracial people in the country, which still needed to be done even though the nation had long achieved its independence.
"When I read the statement by Tun (Dr Mahathir Mohamad), I can only laugh. What else can I do?
"In my previous statements I had asked the Tun to be a leader for all races and as a leader for all, he should discuss problems with all communities.
"We should make effort to unite the people even after 50 years of independence. At the same time there are also problems... social problems, economic problems and so on. When a community voices out its grievances, it doesn't mean that the community is bringing up racial issues," he said.
Samy Vellu said he was, however, disappointed with Dr Mahathir's action in inciting the voters in Sungai Siput not to vote for him in the 12th general election.
"What is hurting me is that during the election, he had said things which are not true. He said I've never represented the (Indian) community, that I've never asked anyting for the community, that I've done nothing for the community, and therefore he wanted the people of Sungai Siput not to vote for me.
"He was the former Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, the former Umno president, how could he talk in that manner... to defeat a party which once helped boost his position as the country's leader," said Samy Vellu, who was Sungai Siput MP since 1974 until his defeat in the March 8 election.
He also called on BN component members to strengthen their respective parties and not to create internal problems that could weaken the coalition.
"Under the present scenario, we should give our support to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. If there are problems, we should discuss the solutions.
"MIC will also undergo a rebranding exercise to enable the party to face new challenges," he said.
Syarifah Hunaini Syed Ismail
BERNAMA
20/06/08
PEOPLE'S POWER
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