Three quit as feud splits Malaysian Indian chamber of Commerce

Kuala Lumpur, Feb 5 (ANI): A split has occurred within the Malaysian Associated Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MAICCI), with three key office bearers resigning en bloc.

The resignations of MAICCI secretary-general S. Rengasamy, his assistant Suresh Kumar J. Gorasia and treasurer S. Tamil Selvan, is believed to be over their dissatisfaction with president K.K. Eswaran.

In their resignation letter tendered to Eswaran's office, the trio said they took the decision as they were unable to discharge their responsibilities of representing MAICCI, the main body involved in preserving the business interests of the Malaysian Indian community.

It is learnt that MAICCI had come under criticism from certain quarters of the Indian community following Eswaran's statements against the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) in a recent online video interview, the NST Online reported.

Many of MAICCI's executive council members were said to be irate with Eswaran for making the statement without getting their consent, as the council had agreed upon earlier.

Eswaran said he was unsure why the three had resigned, adding that an executive council meeting would be held on Friday to deliberate on the matter.

"However in the case of Rengasamy, I am aware of it, as he told me towards the end of last year that he wished to resign to concentrate on his business. But we must understand that no one is indispensable and people can come and go in an organisation like MAICCI."

Asked if the trio had resigned because they were dissatisfied with his criticism of Hindraf, Eswaran said his statements were only against Hindraf leader P. Waytha Moorthy's criticism of Malaysia.

Eswaran said following Friday's meeting, MAICCI would hold a full council meeting next Thursday with the resignation of the three as part of the agenda. (ANI)