MIC chief to apologise to Dr Mahathir over 'slipper garland' insult

Kuala Lumpur, Sep 18 (ANI): Malaysian Indian Congress president S. Samy Vellu has said that he will personally apologise to former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad over the 'slipper garland' insult by a MIC member during the recent party congress.

He said he would seek an appointment with Dr Mahathir to tender his apology over the incident.

"I will meet him personally to explain the whole episode and extend my apology," Samy Vellu said in a statement on Thursday.

The MIC chief said he and the MIC regretted the incident. "I have always had the highest respect for Tun Dr Mahathir. He is a great leader and a statesman."

He said Dr Mahathir had brought tremendous development to the country and had united the people. "He will always be respected by us and all Malaysians," The Star quoted Vellu, as saying.

Meanwhile, Dr Mahathir said he did not feel anything about the incident and added: "Nothing would have happened to me."

Instead, he said he would have felt angry and saddened if Umno members had made such an insult.

"This is not the first time I have been insulted. People might have forgotten how Umno leaders had insulted me. Nazri (Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz) and the previous mentri besar of Kedah wanted me expelled from Umno.

However, then no one gave any reaction. No one dared to say anything," he said. (ANI)