What I feared most has happened, Datuk Seri Palanivel has failed in Court of Appeal to set aside ROS directive and about close to 1,000 branches with about 150,000 members are in a limbo.

Last Thursday when I urged the supporters of DS Palanivel through my statement titled “TO NOMINATE OR NOT TO NOMINATE?  – MIC BRANCH NOMINATION”  to ensure the branch chairmen submit the branch nomination as a precautionary measures, I received calls, sms(s), what’s app messages and emails from all over the country and the majority DS Palanivel’s supporters were condemning me and only about 30% of the supporters appreciated my open comment and my sincere advise in the matter.

Most were reacting emotionally rather than looking at it from legal perspective and were listening to the advice of leaders who have vested interest in the matter. With latest court decision, effectively close to 1000 branches are either been made defunct or taken over by new Chairman due to the non-submission of nomination by the DS. Palanivel’s supporters.

I am happy that almost 1,000 branches heeded my call and exercised their rights to submit their nominations. They are now legally elected branch chairman and has the right to decide the future of the party and take part in the Presidential election. At the same time it is really sad and frustrating, that majority of the Chairmen were misinformed by the leaders and now officially without branch and lost their voice in the party and to make it worse, would not be able to take part in the Presidential election which is to be held soon. It would have been really honorable for the many leaders who agreed with my call for nomination in private, did it publicly which could have helped save few hundred more branches from being made defunct or taken over by the new branch chairman due to non-submission of nominations over the weekend.

As I have stated earlier, I’m neither blind nor stupid and no man is more important than the Party itself. Unfortunately it was not the case for almost 1000 branch chairmen and about 150,000 members of this branches who devotedly followed their leaders and now has learnt a painful lesson due to the ego and stubbornness of certain leaders who have failed to safeguard the interest of these branch chairmen who are now left in a lurch and made handicapped to serve our party, community and the country. These leaders only thought of themselves and their position and allowed emotion and greed to get the better of them and failed to mitigate the risk as a good leader would have done.

MANIVANNAN RETHINAM, A.M.P.
Chairman
Pudu Ulu Branch
Cheras, Wilayah Persekutuan

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