I think after the Sarawak CM retires, Samy Vellu will be the only leader from Mahathir era left. While calls are always there asking him to retire, it comes from ex-MIC members or the opposition (well, we can disregard the public’s voice since no one listens to us). After PM Badawi announced his retirement plan, the focus shifts to MIC:

Calls for president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu to follow suit are getting
louder, with the latest coming from former vice-president Datuk M.
Muthuppalaniappan.

He said Samy Vellu should not seek re-election when his term expires in March.

“It may be difficult to give up power after enjoying it for over 30
years. But Samy Vellu should follow the wisdom of other BN leaders who
have announced their desire to retire and pave the way for new leaders
to take over,” he said.

There is also fear that Samy Vellu may pick his own man to take over the leadership.

“If he thrusts his cronies to the leadership, then Samy Vellu will be
the shadow president and MIC will continue to remain irrelevant,” said
Muthuppalaniappan.

Former central working committee member K.P. Samy said an open and free fight should be allowed for the party’s top posts.

“It will determine a president of the grassroots’ choice, reflect the
credibility of the elected president and avoid a shadow leadership.”

Don’t expect anyone from MIC to say otherwise. Following that lead is T.Mohan:

However, Samy Vellu loyalists are sticking with their boss in wanting to see him re-elected.

Youth chief T. Mohan said the MIC needed Samy Vellu’s guidance to recover after the March 8 polls.

“He is contributing to the party and is rebuilding it through a re-branding exercise before handing over to the next president.”

He said that Muthuppalaniappan’s statement was expected as it was widely known that he could not get along with Samy Vellu.

Mohan said it was unfair to ask Samy Vellu to follow Abdullah’s footsteps as the scenario in Umno was different from the MIC.

A leader who manages to oustay all his competitors is really good. Many pretenders came and left, but Samy Vellu is still around.

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.