theSun | TUESDAY NOVEMBER 18 2008
news without borders
Teagarajan to contest
MIC deputy presidency
KUALA LUMPUR: Businessman
Datuk V.K.K. Teagarajan (pix),
60, a former MIC central working
committee (CWC) member, has
announced an early bid for the
MIC deputy presidency, although
party elections are slated only for
September next year.
The former president of the
Malaysian Associated Indian
Chamber of Commerce and
Industry said he is offering
himself as “new blood” to
rejuvenate and strengthen the
party after it lost the support of
the Malaysian Indian community
in the last general election.
Unlike the presidential contest,
a party member needs only one
nomination to qualify to contest
the deputy president’s post, the
three posts of vice-president or
any of the 23 CWC posts.
For president, a candidate
must obtain 50 nominations, with
a proposer and five seconders
for each. While the president is
elected by branch chairmen, who
number some 3,200, candidates
for other a top party post. Last week,
national posts former vice-president Datuk M.
are elected by Muthupalaniappan declared his
about 1,400 intention to contest the MIC top
delegates to post in the presidential election
the general scheduled for March.
assembly. “I know the elections are 10
Teagarajan,
who joined the
months away, but we have to
start somewhere ... and I feel this
MIC in 1987, is the start,” Teagarajan said.
stood for one of Asked about the possibility
the three posts of him pulling out of the contest
of vice-president for deputy president, he said he
in the last party would do so only if he found
elections in another “worthy candidate”.
2006, but came in fourth. “But for now, I don’t see
In 2003, he filed nomination anyone making a move for the
papers for a veep post but post. If they do, by all means. For
withdrew on the advice of party now, I am not going to back off.”
president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu. In 2006, current deputy
Teagarajan, who is also a president Datuk G. Palanivel beat
former senator and served as then incumbent and party elder
party information chief in 2003, Datuk S. Subramaniam.
was elected to the CWC – the The stakes are high this time
party’s highest decision-making around. Samy Vellu has told
body – in 1997 and served in that several leaders he would vacate
capacity until 2003. the presidency soon after the
He is the second MIC leader to September elections and let his
announce his intention to contest deputy take over. – Bernama
Group wants New Era
board head to quit
A GROUP lobbying for New Era College to Prof Pua Eng Chong, whom the college
to retain educationist Dr Kua Kia Soong
as its principal has urged the head of the
college’s board of governors, Dr Yap Sin
Tian, to resign instead, Sin Chew Daily
reported yesterday.
The Save New Era Col-
lege meeting organised
by parents and students
for the New Era College
Press Digest
by Kong See Hoh
action committees, and
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
staff of the college at
its Kajang campus on
Sunday passed a motion calling for Kua, between him and his superior Yap.
whose contract has not been renewed,
to be retained, and Yap, who is also Dong down a motion to retain Kua at its extra-
Zong president, to quit the college board.
The meeting, attended by about 500
people, also passed a motion appealing
Now for Ong’s govt post picks
FOLLOWING the surprises in Datuk Seri
Ong Tee Keat’s line-up of candidates for
the MCA leadership last week, all eyes are
now on whether the MCA president will
be equally unorthodox in his nomination
of candidates for government posts.
The MCA has four ministers – Ong
(Transport), vice-presidents Datuk Liow
Tiong Lai (Health) and Datuk Dr Ng Yen
Yen (Women, Family and Community
Development), and immediate past sec-
retary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan
(Housing and Local Government).
Sin Chew Daily reported that Ka
Chuan, who lost in party polls and was
not reappointed Perak liaison chief, is
expected to lose his cabinet job.
By party convention, the president,
his deputy, secretary-general and the
vice-president with the largest number
7
has named as Kua’s successor, not to take
on the post before the issue is settled.
Last week, the board picked Pua,
who is the Monash University Sunway
campus school of science chair, over
five other candidates
who responded to the
college’s advertisement
for a new head.
Kua’s removal is
seen by many as the re-
sult of a power struggle
Two Sundays ago, Dong Zong shot
ordinary general meeting. Five depart-
ment heads resigned the day after in
protest.
of votes will hold ministerial posts.
But Ong is not one to follow conven-
tion, evident in his party line-up.
The chances of deputy president Datuk
Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek being appointed a
senator and given a ministerial post look
slim, given his tainted moral record and
less-than-cordial relationship with Ong.
Ong’s trusted ally, secretary-gene-
ral Wong Foon Meng, 54, may well be
appointed senator and made a minister
to replace Ka Chuan. If he is not, Deputy
Finance Minister Datuk Kong Cho Ha, who
has replaced Ka Chuan as Perak liaison chief,
will likely be the candidate for the job.
There is talk that the MCA’s first elected
female vice-president Ng might be axed
from the cabinet, probably to make way
for Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong,
who is deputy education minister.