MIC is not threatening anyone over the Perak Speaker's post but merely asking for what belongs to the party, its president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said.
"We were denied what was promised to us before the general election," he said Monday.
Palanivel said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had also suggested that the Speaker's post be allotted to the MIC.
He was commenting on the statement Sunday by Perak Backbenchers' Club chairman Datuk Mohd Khusairi Abdul Talib, who criticised him for threatening Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir over the post.
Mohd Khusairi said Palanivel had acted out of line as a Barisan Nasional component president.
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He was commenting on the statement Sunday by Perak Backbenchers' Club chairman Datuk Mohd Khusairi Abdul Talib, who criticised him for threatening Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir over the post.
Mohd Khusairi said Palanivel had acted out of line as a Barisan Nasional component president.
"Palanivel should respect the coalition's principle of discussing matters through the right channels. He (Palanivel) should be more careful with his statement to avoid losing his credibility as a leader," Mohd Khusairi said.
Earlier, Palanivel had said MIC would reject posts in the Perak government if the party was not given the state Speaker's position.
He said Dr Zambry should respond to his statement and not others.
He added that it must be remembered it was the Indian votes that had carried Barisan in Perak this year, unlike in 2008, when the community voted against the ruling coalition.
He said the Opposition had appointed an Indian as Speaker when it came to power in the state and when Barisan later took over the state, an MIC leader was appointed to the position.
"We are asking for what was given to us. It is wrong to say we are threatening," he said in a statement.
