'Dr Khir to blame for Indian vote swing' - NST

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has urged all Barisan Nasional leaders to accept blame for the coalition's poor performance in the last general election and not just the prime minister.

In reiterating the MIC's undivided support for Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to lead the country, he said: "Every one of us has to take a slice of the blame."

He criticised former Selangor menteri besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo for calling on Abdullah to hasten handing over power to his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

"Dr Khir has to take a bigger slice of the blame for Barisan Nasional's poor show in the general election.

"This is because just two days before Deepavali, he had ordered the demolition of the (Hindu) temple in Padang Jawa (in Shah Alam) that enraged the Hindu community throughout the country," he said yesterday.

Samy Vellu said on the day the temple was demolished, he had rushed to a hotel in Shah Alam to meet Abdullah and Dr Khir who were attending a function.

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