| Dato' Seri S. Samy Vellu |
|
|---|---|
| 7th President of Malaysian Indian Congress | |
| In office 12 October 1979 – 6 December 2010 |
|
| Deputy | Dato' Subramaniam Sinniah (1979-2006) Dato' G. Palanivel (2006-2010) |
| Preceded by | Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam |
| Succeeded by | Dato' G. Palanivel |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 March 1936 Kluang, Johor, British Malaya |
| Political party | Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) part of Barisan Nasional |
| Spouse(s) | Indrani Samy Vellu |
| Religion | Hindu |
Dato' Seri Samy Vellu Sangalimuthu (Tamil: சாமிவேலு சங்கிலிமுத்து) (born 8 March 1936) is an Indian Malaysian politician. He is the longest serving President of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), a component party of the Barisan Nasional coalition, holding the position since 1979, for 11 consecutive terms. He was the Works Minister of Malaysia and the longest serving minister in the Cabinet of Malaysia until he lost his parliamentary seat in the 2008 general elections. He has since announced his intended retirement in December 2010 even though his contract ends in January 2011 paving way to his present deputy Dato' G. Palanivel to succeed.
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He was first appointed to the Malaysian cabinet in 1979, as the Government and Housing Minister. He then went on to serve until 1989, as the Works Minister. From 1989 to 1995, he became Malaysia's Minister for Energy, Telecommunication and Post. In 1995, he returned to the Works Ministry, where he remained until he lost his parliamentary seat to Dr. D. Michael Jeyakumar in the March 2008 general election.
He was the second longest serving minister in the country after Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz.
Samy Vellu is married to Datin Seri Indrani Samy Vellu,who is also active in socio-political and various Non-Governmental Organisations.
Samy Vellu has one son, Vell Paari, 45, who currently manages MAIKA Holdings and is advisor of Putera and Pemuda Malaysian Indian Congress. He is also has been appointed as Chairman of Unity and Community Development of Malaysian Indian Congress by its Central Working Committee. His daughter-in-law, Shaila Nair, 33, is also active in Puteri MIC, a special wing of Malaysian Indian Congress dedicated to Indian Women of Malaysia who are below 35 years old.
He is a chartered architect and a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects and of the Malaysian Institute of Architect.
From 1974 to March 2008 he was a member of the House of Representatives of the Malaysian Parliament and from 1979 to December 2010 he was President of Malaysian Indian Congress and a partner in the ruling National Front Coalition. 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 for Malaysia. He then served as Minister of energy, Telecommunications and Posts, Malaysia for 1989 through 1995. From 1995 through March 2008 he was again Minister of Works for Malaysia.