Media Statement
Samy incriminated by his own empty promises
The critique on his 20-year leadership in the cover story is in fact based largely on Samy's very own quotes published in local newspapers.
Samy has described the Aliran issue as containing several articles "hurling unsubstantiated accusations against the MIC".
If only the MIC President were to take a closer look at the article it would become very evident to him that Aliran's conclusion - that he and the MIC have failed to respond effectively to the needs of Indian Malaysians, especially plantation workers - was based on statements related to housing, healthcare, education, finance and social well-being that were made by the MIC and the president himself.
Is he now saying that these MIC statements are in fact "unsubstantiated accusations against the MIC"?
In a sense, Samy Vellu was right when he, by way of inference, said that Aliran Monthly was "one-sided." The latest cover story highlights mainly his side of the story, quoting comments and promises he had previously made (newspaper references provided) and the empty outcomes. In other words, his statements from the past now incriminate him!
"These articles were written by a man who does not know what is happening in the country," Samy has remarked. Surely Samy doesn't know what he is talking about. The articles in our latest issue focussing on the plight of Indian Malaysians were written by different writers and not just by one writer.
If Samy is referring to the cover story, the quotes in it came largely from Samy. Is he suggesting that the 'man who does not know what is happening in the country' is Samy himself?
So, if at all there is a "smear campaign" against the MIC President, as he has alleged, it would be a case of Samy pointing a finger at himself.
Extract from The Star report:
Samy Vellu raps Aliran over one-sided reports
By Wani Muthiah
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu rapped the Aliran Monthly which he said is a one-sided publication which did great injustice to the people.
He said he was aware of a book load of allegations by Aliran that all the problems faced by the Indian community was due to the MIC.
Denying the claims, Samy Vellu said the party had always raised problems affecting the community and resolved them.
"The publications are one-sided and full of allegations,'' he told reporters here yesterday.
He said there were also allegations by certain quarters that he had not done anything for the plantation workers.
"The issue of monthly wages for plantation workers has been going on for 25 years and a lot of factors such as market trends will have to be taken into consideration,'' he said.
Samy Vellu said that he had raised the issue in parliament and also brought it to the prime minister's attention.
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The response by MIC President Samy Vellu (NST and The Star, 21 February 2001) to the latest issue of Aliran Monthly is to say the least typical and predictable.