Samy Vellu blasts Kayveas over remarks
M.K. Megan
January 23, 2006
New Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR, Sun "I will not listen to anyone but the Prime Minister," MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said today.

Taking exception to a statement by People’s Progressive Party leader Datuk M. Kayveas that the nine ministers who submitted a memorandum to Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should resign for their "improper behaviour", he said: "Who is he? Who is Kayveas to tell us what to do? He is not even a minister. That is his problem. He is not even in the Cabinet. We are full ministers and we have direct access to the Prime Minister.

"If Kayveas wants to be a minister, ask him to see the Prime Minister and ask him to be made a minister. No one has to advise us on what to do except the Prime Minister."

Five of the nine ministers met Abdullah yesterday and eight of them have since withdrawn the memorandum on the advice of the Prime Minister.

Upko president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, one of the signatories, has been non-commital on the withdrawal.

Samy Vellu, who was one of the ministers who submitted the memorandum seeking to protect the rights of non-Muslims, said he did not want to talk about the memorandum any more.

"What I want to say is in my heart. We will talk about it at the Cabinet meeting," he said at a Press conference after handing out RM500 and trophies each to 518 Tamil primary school pupils who had scored seven As in the 2005 UPSR examination.

Four students — M. Arunkummar (from Perak), G. Khalisshwary (Penang), G. Tamilarasu (Perak) and S. Kavitha (Johor) — received RM1,000 each.

In congratulating the parents and the teachers, he said it was their commitment that had seen a steady increase in the number of Tamil school pupils getting straight As. The number had increased from 363 in 2003 to 378 in 2004 and to 518 last year. A total of 187 headmasters of schools that produced straight-A pupils were also honoured.

"To ensure more students score As, we (the MIC) spend about RM300,000 each year to produce revision books to be distributed to students sitting the UPSR," Samy Vellu said after the prize-presentation ceremony at the Putra World Trade Centre here.

The Simpang Lima Tamil school produced the highest number of straight A pupils: 21. The school’s headmaster and teachers received RM10,000 for their efforts.

This was the fourth year the MIC and its education development arm, Maju Institute of Education Development, had organised a high achievers’ function. It has so far rewarded 1,449 students for scoring straight As.

Source: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Monday/National/20060123083357/Article/index_html