Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Vell Paari in Samy-land: Another Brilliant Move

I say we Indians should express our deepest gratitude to Vell Paari and the truly wise, transparent, and highly thoughtful Central Working Committee (CWC) of the MIC. With Vell Paari now selected by the renowned CWC to be head of the MIC’s so-called “community goodwill and unity relations committee,” everything for us Indians will only keep getting better. Oh, mind you, not that they weren't good before - just that evrything will only be much better henceforth.

Fantastic! Now we can just sit back and see how the MIC gets off the ground at lightning speed. This is of course the moment we’ve all been waiting for: Vell Paari to the rescue! I’m just thoroughly annoyed, and frankly on the verge of being upset, that we’ve wasted so much time in getting this appointment through. I mean what exactly were some of these jokers at the MIC thinking? Why did it take so long to make this happen?

Knowing Vell Paari’s brilliant credentials and reputation, we would have thought the CWC would have seen the hand-writing on the wall a lot sooner and done itself a whole lot of good by elevating Vell Paari to this additional prominent position within the MIC. Having of course, done wonders to erase the blemishes (is this too weak a characterisation?) from the (flawed?) Maika Holdings, surely there could have been no other credible candidate to rejuvenate the party. Besides, Vell Paari has lots of time to be at the disposal of the party. Aside from having things at Maika Holdings so well under control, there are also no pressing demands on his time posed by the so-called inquest, which I might add, has barely moved forward, into the death of the actress K. Sujatha, which Vell Paari is allegedly implicated in.

I’m sure the usual grumbling types will be crying foul. They will scream their heads off about here we go again with another shameless instance of nepotism in the now infamous MIC culture. Let me just remind you people, not only did the highly wise and deliberative CWC take a vote on this matter, the distinguished and honourable president of the MIC and father of Vell Paari, actually recused himself from voting on the matter! Wow! Now isn’t that not only reassuring but so truly commendable? Indeed, Samy Vellu apparently chaired the meeting, but you see he recused himself from the decision. Of course, his chairing the meeting would not have in any way hindered the prospect of an open and candid debate in the committee – assuming there was a debate on the matter.

There’s a fabulous illustration of how to foster a non-coercive climate for free and open deliberation when you have a situation clearly fraught with conflict of interest. The father still chairs the meeting – and presumably may have overseen the debate – if there was one – and then recused himself on the vote. Now, what would make you think this might not have been a non-coercive setting when the president himself is presiding over a meeting where his son is being considered for an appointment? I’m sure it would have been too taxing on the deputy president to instead have chaired that meeting. Or if the deputy president was not available, surely this would have been too big a task for one of the other high-ranking chums to have done so. But of course. Surely you people are capable of seeing that having Samy chair the meeting was no big deal. In fact, it must have obviously been imperative for him to have done so!

Well, I can just image that not only were there no other highly suitable, capable, and more credible individuals for this appointment, I’m sure there must have been heaps of priase from the CWC members for Vell Paari - perhaps even expressed while his father was still presiding over the meeting.

Oh, I can’t tell you just how much I’m loving this re-branding exercise being spearheaded by Samy Vellu. I only wish the CWC would also appoint that KK Esweran fellow to join Vell Paari and become a tag-team to rebuild and re-brand the MIC. Now, perhaps the CWC will take this as a friendly suggestion. Well, it can hurt to dream, right? Wouldn’t that just be a dandy twosome? Imagine…one would be hard-pressed to come up with two more deserving individuals to be the two poster-children for the MIC.

If you ask me, it’s a winning combination all the way. So all you doubters and naysayers, stop being ridiculous with your innuendos and sarcasm.

By the way, Malaysiakini noted that “It is widely speculated that Vell Paari is being groomed to become secretary-general - an appointment that is made by the president.” For what it’s worth, the MIC CWC might as well just appoint him as its president-in-waiting. Imagine what a blessing this would be for us Indians.

(Goodness gracious. If this is reform, I hate to imagine what the the MIC would be without its reforms and rebranding!)

G. Krishnan