MIC leader dismisses need for explanation on Sivarraajh’s CWC removal

An MIC leader has stated that there is no need for the party to provide an official explanation to former vice-president C. Sivarraajh regarding his removal from its central working committee (CWC). According to Free Malaysia Today, MIC information chief Thinalan Rajagopal claimed that there was no reason given when Sivarraajh joined the CWC in 2021, as it was the prerogative of MIC president Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran.

“There is no formal need for an explanation or reason,” Thinalan said. He added that other political parties, including Umno, had also adopted similar practices as their party constitutions stated that such action was the president’s prerogative. Thinalan was responding to news reports that Sivarraajh had not been provided with any reason for his removal from the CWC. Sivarraajh, a serving senator, stated that while he was aware it was the president’s prerogative, it was the normal practice to give an explanation.

Thinalan also disagreed with Sivarraajh’s claim that MIC had an image issue. He argued that if Sivarraajh believed the Indian-based party had an image problem, he should have declined the opportunities the party had given him, including the senatorship and becoming a candidate at the previous general election. “Or has he just realised that MIC has an image issue after he was removed from the CWC?” Thinalan reportedly asked.

Sivarraajh was appointed to the CWC by Vigneswaran after he lost the vice-presidency in the 2021 party election.