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Although the MIC president had released a letter which could be potentially damaging to Kayveas, the People's Progressive Party (PPP) president remained unfazed and said he was more concerned about the plight of the Indian community.

Kayveas's letter, dated April 12, 1985, was written to thank Samy Vellu for STG2,000 education loan for Kayveas who was studying in England at that time. “By publishing the letter, Samy thinks he is embarrassing me but the joke is on him as his act only shows how low he can go. By writing the letter, it shows my culture and tradition of thanking people who have helped me. “The contents of the letter were genuine and written in high respect and hope on the man  who has taken charge of the uplifting of the Indian community. 

“But it is very clear that he did not live up to the letter.

“It is good that the letter was made public as it is clear that after 22 years, he has failed the Indian community. “The claims of STG2,000 became an answer to the questions raised regarding the bad state of the Indian community. “As far as I am concerned, questions raised regarding the present situation of the Indian community have yet to be answered and fulfilled,” Kayveas said yesterday.

MIC released the letter on Monday as proof that Kayveas had benefited from monetary assistance from the Maju Institute of Educational Development (MIED) despite the PPP leader accusing MIC of lacking commitment in helping the Indian community. When contacted, Samy Vellu declined to comment further on the matter.

Amid the raging war of words between the two party leaders, Samy Vellu received a show of support from an unexpected source - the leader of an opposition party, no less. DAP chairman Karpal Singh voiced out his displeasure over Kayveas’ behaviour and even went so far as to call for him to step down as member of parliament for Taiping. “Kayveas is steadily becoming an embarrassment, not only to his voters in the Taiping parliamentary constituency, but the country as a whole. “Politicians should think before they speak, and not the reverse,” he said in a statement yesterday. Karpal said the government should upgrade Tamil schools, giving Indians their fair share of seats in universities and colleges in the country, and do away with discrimination against Indians in public service. “The government should strive for meritocracy which should be the acid test for public service and enrolment in universities and colleges,” he added.