source: The Star
PETALING JAYA: Indian Progressive Front president Tan Sri M.G. Pandithan, who led a colourful and chequered political career, worked tirelessly for the betterment of the Indian community until the end.
Even when he was hospitalised, Indian Progressive Front (IPF) president Tan Sri M.G. Pandithan was still concerned with the problems of the Indian community.
Tan Sri M.G. Pandithan (April 3, 1940 – April 30, 2008)
He would always ask his visitors, who included party leaders, about the latest developments in the Indian community.
The 68-year-old, who died at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital yesterday after a lengthy battle with cancer, was always cheerful, and had requested the media not to highlight MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu visiting him in hospital in August 2006.
“I don’t want this to be interpreted as being with Samy Vellu. Let the MIC delegates make their own decision,” he said.
Pandithan had always dreamed of bringing the IPF into Barisan Nasional but after realising the Herculean nature of the task, decided to work with MIC for the betterment of the Indian community.
He had risen up the MIC ranks to become party vice-president in 1981, commanding strong grassroots support from the Indian community.
The eighth son of a Kuala Lumpur City Hall manual worker and a washerwoman, Pandithan grew up in the cramped government quarters at San Peng flats, an area notorious for crime.
He studied at SJK (T) San Peng and completed his Higher School Certificate at St Anthony’s Institute before joining Tamil Nesan as a crime reporter.
It took him many years to build a career in the MIC, but after winning a seat in the party’s Central Working Committee his climb was rapid.
After becoming vice-president and being re-elected for a third term in 1986, he won the Tapah parliamentary seat and was later appointed parliamentary secretary to the Trade and Industry Ministry.
However, he was issued a show cause letter on June 2, 1988, for alleging that the party leadership had failed to fight for the rights of the Indian community.
Two days later, he embarked on a “death fast” at the MIC headquarters’ car park, bringing along a coffin and accompanied by 50 supporters, to prove his innocence. He stopped the fast after 28 hours, following an assurance by then deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam.
He was issued a second show-cause letter for bringing the coffin to the MIC headquarters and expelled from the party in July 1988.
Pandithan then formed the IPF and supported the opposition coalition Gagasan Rakyat in the Oct 21, 1990, general election. He contested and lost the Teluk Intan parliamentary seat.
He unsuccessfully tried to get IPF admitted to Barisan in 1994 and the following year quit the opposition coalition to pledge support to Barisan.
In September 1995, then Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad made Pandithan a senator in recognition of the IPF’s support and contributions to Barisan.
Pandithan and Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu met for the first time in 12 years in June 2000, during the campaign for Barisan candidate S. Sothinathan in the Teluk Kemang by-election.
Later, Samy Vellu publicly admitted that he had opposed IPF’s entry into Barisan.
In October 2003, Pandithan openly called for Samy Vellu to hand over the MIC party leadership to his deputy, Datuk S. Subramaniam, saying that Samy Vellu had stayed too long.
In June 2006, Pandithan was admitted to the intensive care unit following a bout of high fever. Samy Vellu’s visit then resulted in the patching-up of their relationship.
He was admitted to the intensive care unit again early this year, and died of cancer yesterday morning.
