Subramaniam: MIC president has power to

remove Ramanan

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC president has the power to decide whether to remove newly-appointed MIC treasurer-general Datuk R. Ramanan, says deputy president Datuk Seri Dr S.Subramaniam.

He said based on the party's constitution, the power of appointment to the post was with the president.

He said the appointment of Ramanan was done by the president without having the need to consult the party's Central Working Committee (CWC).

"The CWC can only make a suggestion to him (president) and the power of deciding to keep him (Ramanan) or not is his.

"It's up to the president whether to use his power or not. We leave it to his judgement and wisdom to do it," he told reporters after attending the Tamil Thirunal in conjunction with the Pongal Festival 2014 at the Putra World Trade Centre, here, today.

MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel had said that the fate of Ramanan would be decided at the party's CWC meeting next month following his involvement in a fraud case.

The High Court on Thursday, ordered Ramanan to return RM5.5 million to psychiatrist Tan Sri Dr M. Mahadevan, which he had fraudulently received from the defence ministry when "assisting" the psychiatrist to recover the payment, four years ago.

Judicial Commissioner Lee Heng Cheong, in his decision, said he agreed with Dr Mahadevan's counsel that Ramanan had fraudulently misrepresented himself to the plaintiff, resulting in him transferring the money into the defendant's personal account on May 19, 2010.

Ramanan was ordered to pay the money within 14 days but following his application, the court allowed an interim stay of execution, pending an application next Monday.

The MIC will hold its first CWC for the 2013-2016 term after the party held its election on Nov 30, last year. -- BERNAMA