MIC vice-president Datuk S.Veerasingam said the party leaders want party president Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu to defend his Sungai Siput parliamentary constituency based on his excellent service record there.

"So, we are asking the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) to put him, as usual, as the candidate in Sungai Siput because he is very close to the constituents in Sungai Siput," he said.

All MIC leaders wanted Samy Vellu to continue contributing towards the development of the Indian community through MIC, he told reporters after opening the Syarikat Penerbitan Jaya Bakti Sdn Bhd Tamil Book Expo, here today.

Veerasingam, who is also the Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, said he was confident Samy Vellu's candidacy in Sungai Siput would be supported by all BN component parties.

Samy Vellu had won the Sungai Siput parliamentary constituency for the past eight terms from 1974.

In the 2004 general election, Samy Vellu, who is also the Works Minister, defeated DAP's Dr Michael Jayakaumar Devarajaj by a 10,235-vote majority.

Quoted From
BERNAMA