The sacked MIC Bayan Baru division leader, Nganasegaran seems to be exacting revenge immediately. He claims that up to 5000 (NST says 3000) members from his division among others, will be shifting camps – to PKR. He is expected to handover the membership forms to Anwar Ibrahim at the Bayan Baru PKR service centre.

According to Malaysiakini, Besides MIC Bayan Baru, members from the nearby Bukit Bendera, Jelutong, Bukit Gelugor and Balik Pulau divisions are also expected to close down their branches and join forces with Nganasegaran.

Nganasegaran was sacked two days ago by Samy Vellu. Malaysiakini sources said Samy Vellu had particularly taken offence with the Bayan Baru division’s endorsement of the Pakatan Rakyat state government’s joint anti-Internal Security Act conference on Sept 14. The sacked leader said it was an unilateral decision and reflective of how MIC works. He condemned the action by Samy Vellu. But Samy said he talked it over with Palanivel before sacking the guy.

The president had raised the issue at the party national central working committee meeting last week and called on party leaders to support a firm action against Nganasegaran. The meeting then decided to refer the matter to the party disciplinary committee.

However, before the committee could decide on the issue, Samy Vellu apparently invoked the discretionary power vested in the president under Article 61.2 of the party constitution to expel Nganasegaran, who was once close to the former cabinet minister.

The sacked leader was given two weeks to appeal against the decision.

Nganasegaran, who has been the Bayan Baru division chief since 2003, slammed Samy Vellu’s arbitral decision. “It’s like a verdict from a hanging judge in a kangaroo court,” he said.

He was not issued a show cause letter or suspended but suddenly found himself expelled ‘out of the blue’ from a party that he had loyally served for 18 years.

“Is this how Samy Vellu is going to re-brand and re-position MIC as a relevant political entity for Indians?” he asked.

“He can dream on,” said Nganasegaran, who was once an influential political player in Penang MIC.

Not sure about other political parties in Malaysia, but it seems in MIC, the president can sack a member. This is provided for in the constitution of MIC. Most recent case is that of Bayan Baru division head Nganana Sagaran:

After consulting deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel yesterday, we have decided to sack the division chief.

“He was found to have worked for the opposition in the run-up to the March 8 general election.

“We have also received reliable information that the division leader was planning to jump to the opposition. This is unacceptable to the party and its leadership,” MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said yesterday.

At least there were some consultation before executing this decision. Meanwhile, the victim tries to clear his name:

Nganana Sagaran, meanwhile, told the New Straits Times that the allegations against him were baseless.

“I have always been a party loyalist. As such, it came as a surprise to me that I had been sacked,” he said.

Nganana Sagaran said the only thing he did which may have irked the party leadership was to attend an anti-ISA forum held at Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s residence recently.

“I was asked by reporters at the event about my attendance there and I told them that I was totally against the use of ISA and that it was meant for terrorists.

“That was it. I had done nothing wrong.”

He said party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu had brought up the matter at the party central working committee meeting last month where it was decided that he would have to face the party disciplinary board.

“I did not received any show-cause letter. Suddenly, I am sacked,” he said.