Senatorship for Malaysian Indian leader

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) deputy president G. Palanivel is among four people who will be made senators, it was announced Wednesday.

A journalist-turned politician, Palanivel was a lawmaker from 1991 to 2008, when he lost the Hulu Selangor seat in Selangor state.

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak overlooked his claim and preferred MIC\’s Information chief P. Kamalanathan for last Sunday\’s by-election from that constituency.

Najib, however, praised Palanivel\’s contribution and announced his elevation as senator, a member of the upper house of parliament.

MIC is a major constituent of the ruling alliance that Najib heads. It claims to speak for Malaysia\’s 1.7 million ethnic Indians.