President of Malaysia's largest ethnic Indians-based political party has suspended 12 members, including his deputy, for not abiding by his instructions to not hold a key party meeting.
The suspended members of Malaysian Indian Congress include deputy Dr S Subramaniam, vice-president M Saravanan and other members, including M Mohana, SK Devamany, N Rawisandran, R Ganesan, M Davendran, KRA Naidu, VM Panjamothy, P Manivasagam, S Ananthan, M Mathuraiveran and M Asojan.
The members were suspended for not abiding by his instructions to not hold any Central Working Committee meeting.
"The suspension is for a period of 12 months with immediate effect," said MIC President G Palanivel in a statement.
"The other members who also signed the illegal notice have already been suspended by me earlier, and the suspensions remain," Palanivel was quoted as saying by Channel News Asia.
Palanivel said the meeting was illegal as the notice for the meeting was not issued by the party secretary-general.
"Despite my said memo dated June 15, 2015, these individuals had not cancelled the scheduled meeting," he said.
"It is beyond doubt that the acts of these individuals were clearly detrimental to the interests of the Malaysian Indian Congress," he added.
