Malaysian Indian Congress presidential polls on April 12

Kuala Lumpur, Feb. 19 (ANI): The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) presidential election will be held on April 12 and nominations will be registered on March 22.

MIC president S. Samy Vellu said the central working committee decided the dates of elections because the president's term is due to end on May 25, The Star reports.

Asked if he would seek re-election, Vellu, who has been president since 1979, replied: "Maybe."

Former MIC vice-president M. Muthupalaniappan had earlier said that he would contest for the top party post.

To be eligible to contest for the presidential post, a candidate needs to secure 300 nominations from the branches.

The 22-committee members of each of the 3,800 branches will cast their votes to elect the president.

On reports of discrepancies in the accounts of MIC-owned Maju Institute of Educational Develop-ment, Vellu said, "I can ask the accountants, the quantity surveyors and the project managers to give a briefing to the press if they want. I won't be there."

On whether the institute's chief executive officer, Chithrakala Vasu, had been sacked, he said, "there is no disciplinary action. Since it is under police investigation, let them carry out their work." (ANI)