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Samy Vellu

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In this Indian name, the name Sangalimuthu is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Samy Vellu. The abbreviation "s/o" or "d/o", if used, means "son of" or "daughter of" respectively.
Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun
S. Samy Vellu
SSM SUMW SSAP SPMP SPMJ PNBS DPMS AMN RIBA
ச. சாமிவேலு
Samy Vellu in 2004
Minister of Works[a]
In office
8 May 1995 – 18 March 2008
MonarchsJa'afar
Salahuddin
Sirajuddin
Mizan Zainal Abidin
Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad
(1995–2003)
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
(2003–2008)
DeputyRailey Jeffrey
(1995–1999)
Mohamed Khaled Nordin
(1999–2004)
Mohd Zin Mohamed
(2004–2008)
Preceded byLeo Moggie Irok
Succeeded byMohd Zin Mohamed
ConstituencySungai Siput
In office
15 September 1979 – 15 June 1989
MonarchsAhmad Shah
Iskandar
Azlan Shah
Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad
DeputyClarence E. Mansul
(1979–1981)
Nik Hussein Wan Abdul Rahman
(1981–1983)
Zainal Abidin Zin
(1983–1986)
Mustaffa Mohammad
(1986–1987)
Luhat Wan
(1987–1989)
Preceded byLee San Choon
Succeeded byLeo Moggie Irok
ConstituencySungai Siput
Minister of Energy, Telecommunications and Posts
In office
15 June 1989 – 7 May 1995
MonarchsAzlan Shah
Ja'afar
Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad
DeputyAbdul Ghani Othman
(1989–1990)
Tajol Rosli Mohd Ghazali
(1990–1995)
Preceded byLeo Moggie Irok
Succeeded byLeo Moggie Irok as Minister of Energy, Communications and Multimedia
ConstituencySungai Siput
7th President of the
Malaysian Indian Congress
In office
12 October 1979 – 6 December 2010
DeputySubramaniam Sinniah
(1979–2006)
G. Palanivel
(2006–2010)
Preceded byV. Manickavasagam
Succeeded byG. Palanivel
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Sungai Siput
In office
16 September 1974 – 8 March 2008
Preceded byV. T. Sambanthan (MIC)
Succeeded byMichael Jeyakumar (PSM)
Majority644 (1974)
5,141 (1978)
7,897 (1982)
4,436 (1986)
1,763 (1990)
15,610 (1995)
5,259 (1999)
10,349 (2004)
Faction represented in Dewan Rakyat
1974–2008Barisan Nasional
Personal details
Born
Samy Vellu s/o Sangalimuthu

(1936-03-08)8 March 1936
Kluang, Johor, British Malaya (now Malaysia)
Died15 September 2022(2022-09-15) (aged 86)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
CitizenshipMalaysian
Political partyMalaysian Indian Congress (MIC)
Other political
affiliations		Barisan Nasional (BN)
SpouseIndrani Samy Vellu
ChildrenVell Paari Samy Vellu
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionArchitect

Tun Samy Vellu s/o Sangalimuthu (Tamil: சாமிவேலு சங்கிலிமுத்து, romanized: Cāmivēlu Caṅkilimuttu; 8 March 1936 – 15 September 2022)[1] was a Malaysian politician who served as Minister of Works from June 1983 to June 1989 and again from May 1995 to March 2008, Minister of Energy, Telecommunications and Posts from June 1989 to May 1995, Minister of Works and Public Amenities from September 1979 to June 1983 and Member of Parliament (MP) for Sungai Siput from September 1974 to March 2008. He was a member and served as 7th President of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), a component party of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, from October 1979 to December 2010. He is the longest-serving MIC president having held the position for 31 years and one of the longest-serving Cabinet ministers at 29 years. In December 2010, he announced his retirement from politics, paving the way for then MIC Deputy President Palanivel Govindasamy to succeed him as the new party president. [2]

Former MCA president Ling Liong Sik described Samy Vellu as a man of many talents and with a great sense of humour.[3]

Political career

Samy Vellu's political career began at the age of 23, in 1959, when he and Govindaraj joined the Batu Caves MIC branch. After five years, he was elected Selangor MIC committee member and the head of the party. He made headline news by climbing up the Indonesian embassy's flag pole, pulling down the flag and burning it. He was charged in court and fined RM2. He was called Hero Malaysia on the front pages.

He was a Member of Parliament for Sungai Siput constituency for eight terms from September 1974 to March 2008. During this time, from 1978 to 1979 he was Deputy Minister of Local Government and Housing. Then from 1979 to 1989 he was Minister of Works. He then served as Minister of Energy, Telecommunications and Posts from 1989 to 1995. From 1995 to March 2008 he was the Minister of Works until he lost his parliamentary seat to Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj of the Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) who contested on the ticket of the People's Justice Party (PKR) in the March 2008 general election.[4][5]

He was the second longest serving minister in the country during his time, after Rafidah Aziz.

Samy Vellu was appointed Malaysia's Special Envoy of Infrastructure to India and Southern Asia, with ministerial rank, since 1 January 2011.[6] The appointment was terminated by the new Pakatan Harapan (PH) government in 2018.[7]

Personal life

Vellu was born in Kluang, Johor, and was of Indian descent. He was married to Indrani Samy Vellu and had one son, Vell Paari.[8] He was a chartered architect and a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and of the Malaysian Institute of Architects.[citation needed]

Biography

A Life. A Legend. A Legacy written by Bernice Narayanan reveals Samy Vellu's achievements and setbacks as well as "behind-the-scenes" events in his almost 50 years of active politics.[9]

Election results

Parliament of Malaysia[10][11]
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
1974 P048 Sungei Siput, Perak Samy Vellu (MIC) 9,045 49.09% Patto Perumal (DAP) 8,401 45.59% 18,529 644 77.87%
Thang Pang Fay (PEKEMAS) 877 4.76%
RC Manavarayan (IND) 103 0.56%
1978 Samy Vellu (MIC) 12,930 62.41% Ngan Siong Hing @ Ngan Siong Eng (DAP) 7,789 37.59% N/A 5,141 N/A
1982 Samy Vellu (MIC) 14,930 64.56% T. Sellapan (DAP) 7,033 30.41% 23,827 7,897 73.63%
Ahmad Zawawi Ibrahim (PAS) 1,164 5.03%
1986 P056 Sungai Siput, Perak Samy Vellu (MIC) 13,148 56.05% Liew Sam Fong (DAP) 8,712 37.14% 24,566 4,436 69.32%
Wan Hassan Wan Mahmud (SDP) 1,597 6.81%
1990 Samy Vellu (MIC) 14,427 53.25% Patto Perumal (DAP) 12,664 46.75% 28,028 1,763 69.21%
1995 P059 Sungai Siput, Perak Samy Vellu (MIC) 21,283 71.86% Lim Ah Guan @ Lim Soon Guan (DAP) 5,673 19.15% 30,552 15,610 67.66%
Mohamed Hashim Salim (PAS) 2,663 8.99%
1999 Samy Vellu (MIC) 17,480 57.75% Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj (DAP)1 12,221 40.38% 31,165 5,259 63.62%
Mohamad Asri Othman (MDP) 565 1.87%
2004 P062 Sungai Siput, Perak Samy Vellu (MIC) 19,029 62.19% Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj (PKR)2 8,680 28.37% 31,583 10,349 67.51%
Sanmugam Ponmugam Ponnan (DAP) 2,890 9.44%
2008 Samy Vellu (MIC) 14,637 44.15% Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj (PKR)2 16,458 49.64% 33,154 1,821 69.91%
Nor Rizan Oon (IND) 864 2.61%

Note: 1 & 2 Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj amid contesting under the tickets of DAP in the 1999 election and PKR in the 2004 and 2008 elections, is a member of PSM.

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

Places named after him

Notes

  1. ^ Minister of Works and Public Amenities (1979–1983)

References

  1. ^ Former Malaysian minister Samy Vellu dies, aged 86
  2. ^ Narayanan, Bernice (2010). A Life, a Legend, a Legacy: Dato' Seri S. Samy Vellu. BN Communications. p. 200. ISBN 9789834150563.
  3. ^ "Samy Vellu a man of many talents and great sense of humour, says Dr Ling". TheStarTV.com. 16 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Samy Vellu". NRIinternet.com. 22 November 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  5. ^ Retna, S. (9 March 2008). "End For Samy Vellu's Legacy After Historic Loss at Sg Siput". Bernama. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  6. ^ "Samy Vellu Dilantik Duta Khas Infrastruktur Bagi India Dan Asia Pasifik". mStar (in Malay). 12 December 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  7. ^ Justin Ong (7 July 2018). "Report: Putrajaya axing special envoys, advisers". The Malay Mail. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  8. ^ "Samy Vellu". www.nriinternet.com. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  9. ^ "PM launches Samy Vellu's 'tell-all' biography". The Star. 10 December 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  10. ^ "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri" (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
  11. ^ "Malaysia General Election". undiinfo Malaysian Election Data. Malaysiakini. Retrieved 4 February 2017. Results only available from the 2004 election.
  12. ^ "Samy Vellu happy with Govt's recognition of his service". The Star Online. 10 September 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  13. ^ "SEMAKAN PENERIMA DARJAH KEBESARAN, BINTANG DAN PINGAT". Prime Minister's Department (Malaysia). Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  14. ^ "Sultan of Pahang's 74th birthday honours list". The Star Online. 26 October 2004. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  15. ^ "PCM 1978". pingat.perak.gov.my.
  16. ^ "SPMP 1989". pingat.perak.gov.my.
  17. ^ "Mahathir Heads Sarawak Honours". www.thestar.com.my.
  18. ^ "DPMS 1979". awards.selangor.gov.my. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  19. ^ "Road signs for 'Jalan Samy Vellu' to be up soon". The Star. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  20. ^ "The late Samy Vellu gets name on Kuala Kangsar road". The Star. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
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Political offices
Preceded by Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) President
12 October 1979 – 6 December 2010 		Succeeded by
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