KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 – The MIC’s traditional event, the Presidential Dinner held at the Putra World Trade Centre here in conjunction with the party’s 71st Annual General Meeting (AGM) tonight, saw former party president Tun S. Samy Vellu (pix) being honoured for having been recently conferred the Seri Setia Mahkota (SSM) award which carries the title ‘Tun’.
Samy Vellu, who led the party from 1981 until 2010 was garlanded with ‘bunga malai’ by MIC president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam, Central Working Committee members and representatives from each state. Malaysia’s Special Envoy on Infrastructure to India and South Asia received the highest recognition in conjunction with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V’s birthday at the Istana Negara on Sept 9.
Samy Vellu, accompanied by wife, Toh Puan Indrani received a thunderous applause from the party’s delegates when he entered the hall. In his speech, Dr Subramaniam also said that Samy Vellu’s contribution and sacrifices to the Indian community would never be forgotten.
He said the contribution of the former works minister in Malaysia’s infrastructure field, especially the construction of roads and highways was huge and written in the country’s history. About 4,000 delegates, including leaders of branches nationwide, attended the two-day AGM, beginning today. — Bernama
