"It's time we had two Indian in the cabinet," says the Najib
“The Agong has given consent,” said Najib during the launch of MIC’s 65th AGM. “I’m going back to Tun Razak’s time when there were two Indians in the cabinet.
In the process of making Palanivel a minister, MIC gives up the deputy ministership that is held by Palanivel and the deputy minister’s post held by T Murugiah.
“He (Palanivel) is made a minister as a mark of appreciation for the contribution of the Indians,” said Najib at a press conference.
Najib also acknowledged contribution of the Indians dubbed as 3Rs in the nation’s economy – rubber, railway, road.
Palanivel, 61, is currently Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities. The other Indian in Najib’s cabinet is Dr S Subramaniam.
Dr S Subramaniam, who is also MIC deputy president, is Human Resources Minister. The last time MIC had two ministers was in 1976. They were M Manikavasagam and Athi Nahappan.
Palanivel held his last position in the Malaysian government as the Deputy Minister of Welfare and Family Development of Malaysia.
In the March 8, 2008 general election, he was defeated in his bid for another five year term as a Member of Parliament.
He was appointed as Senator in May 2010 and became the deputy minister for Plantation Industries and Commodities.
On Dec 6, 2010, he became the president of the MIC following the retirement of Samy Vellu.
Palanivel obtained a Bachelor of Arts from University Malaya in 1972, majoring in History.
Initially he became a teacher at the Goon Institute and then at Maktab Adabi. In the same year as his graduation, he was elected secretary of Petaling MIC Branch.
He has been with the party since 1968.
Former press sec to Samy
He moved on to become a research assistant at the National Museum. In 1974, he joined the Consumer Association of Penang. There he rose to the position of Executive Director.
His next career move was to join Bernama as a journalist in 1977. There he was elevated to become the Economic News Editor.
It was during this period he was invited to become a press secretary to Samy Vellu, who was then the Minister of Works and MIC president.
He was picked to stand as a candidate the 1990 general election and had won every single election as a MP since until his loss in the March 2008, when a majority of Indian groups deserted BN.
Following the massive defeat of MIC representatives, MIC’s top leadership has been conspicuously absent in the cabinet of the ruling coalition.
In June 2006, Palanivel, previously a vice president entered a new era of top level MIC leadership by defeating a 27-year incumbent, S Subramaniam, to become the new deputy president of MIC.
He retained his position in the MIC elections on September 12, 2009. On May 3, 2010, he was appointed a Senator.
On 6 December 2010, G. Palanivel appointed as 8th MIC President succeeding Samy Vellu who held the post for 31 years.
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