Former MIC deputy president Datuk S Subramaniam will be referred to the party's disciplinary board on a charge of bringing supporters to disrupt the party's 63rd general assembly yesterday, MIC president S Samy Vellu said.

"The group, comprising about 500 people, tried to create chaos. We are gathering information on this.

"I know who these groups are and so do the authorities. Disciplinary action will be taken against him. I've never seen incidents like this... I see it as an attempt to scare the delegates," he told reporters on the sidelines of the second and final day of the general assembly today.

mic elections 120909 subra mobbed The latest development casts doubts on Subramaniam's future in the party after losing the contest for the deputy president's post yesterday.

This is the second time that the party was referring Subramaniam to the disciplinary board.

Last week, the MIC central working committee unanimously agreed to refer Subramaniam to the board for issuing statements which the board deemed to be tarnishing the party's image.

Samy Vellu said the board would decide on the type of action against Subramaniam.

mic elections 120908 campaigners Asked on claims by Subramaniam that his defeat was due to money politics, Samy Vellu said he too could prove that he (Subramaniam) had used money to gain support.

Meanwhile, Samy Vellu said the MIC, as the biggest Indian-based party in the country, would take concrete steps to regain the support of the Indian community.

He said that the party, which has 630,000 members, would also continue with the efforts to restore the community's support towards the Barisan Nasional (BN).

Next target: Bagan Pinang

"We have started the process since the last general election. Through the various steps taken by the MIC, the Indians are returning to the BN. This process will continue," he said when closing the general assembly today.

He said the party would also focus on the younger generations, and this could be seen through the victories of many young leaders in yesterday's elections.

mic elections 120909 winners "For a start, we will begin the online registration of new members through the MIC portal to attract the younger generations and professionals to join the party.

"The party will also open up more branches headed by young people. We have identified at least 2,000 graduates for this purpose," he said.

Women would also be involved in the process by giving them more challenging roles such as heading party branches, he said.

The women and Puteri wing should be more active and creative in planning programmes for the members, he said.

"I want these two movements to be more aggressive," he added.

MIC's immediate duty now was to help the BN win the Bagan Pinang by-election in Negeri Sembilan, he said.

"The first duty of Palanivel (who was elected deputy president for a second term yesterday) is to head the MIC election machinery. Palanivel and I will plan strategies to win the Indian votes," he said.

- Bernama