Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri G Palanivel MP |
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8th President of the Malaysian Indian Congress | |
In office 6 December 2010 – 25 June 2015 |
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Deputy | Subramaniam Sathasivam |
Preceded by | Samy Vellu |
Succeeded by | Subramaniam Sathasivam |
Malaysian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment | |
In office 16 May 2013 – 29 July 2015 |
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Prime Minister | Najib Razak |
Preceded by | Douglas Uggah Embas |
Succeeded by | Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar |
Constituency | Cameron Highlands |
Malaysian Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Modernisation and Management, Public Administration, Public Complaints |
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In office 9 August 2011 – 5 May 2013 |
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Succeeded by | Paul Low Seng Kuan |
Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Cameron Highlands |
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Assumed office 5 May 2013 |
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Preceded by | Devamany S. Krishnasamy |
Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Hulu Selangor |
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In office 21 October 1990 – 8 March 2008 |
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Preceded by | Subramaniam Sinniah |
Succeeded by | Zainal Abidin Ahmad |
Personal details | |
Born |
Palanivel s/o K. Govindasamy 1 March 1949 Penang, Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia) |
Citizenship | Malaysian |
Political party | Malaysian Indian Congress (until 2014) |
Spouse(s) | Kanagam Palanivel |
Children | 4 |
Residence | Kuala Lumpur |
Alma mater |
University of Malaya Bachelor of Arts |
Occupation | Politician |
Religion | Hindu |
Website | www |
Datuk Seri Palanivel s/o K. Govindasamy (Tamil: பழனிவேல் கோவிந்தசாமி; born 1 March 1949), commonly known as Datuk Seri G Palanivel, was the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment. He held his last positions in the Malaysian Government as the Minister in Prime Minister's Department and Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities. His previously held the position as the Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Deputy Minister of Welfare and Family Development of Malaysia. In the 8 March 2008 general elections, he was defeated in his bid for another five-year term as a member of parliament. He was appointed as Senator in May 2010 and became the Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities. On 6 December 2010, he became the President of the Malaysian Indian Congress, which is a member of the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional. On 30 July 2011, the Prime Minister Najib Razak announced that Dato' G Palanivel to be appointed as Minister in the PM's Department on the MIC General Assembly and on 9 August 2011 Dato' G Palanivel took the oath of office to become the minister.
After his victory in 13th General Election, Palanivel was appointed as Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.
Palanivel obtained a Bachelor of Arts from University of Malaya in 1972, majoring in History. Initially he became a teacher at the Goon Institute in Kuala Lumpur, and then at Maktab Adabi in Kuantan. In the same year as his graduation, he was elected Secretary of Petaling Branch of Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), a political party which is part of the ruling coalition. He has been with the party since 1968.
He moved on to become a Research Assistant at the Muzium Negara (National Museum). In 1974, he went back to Penang to join the Consumer Association of Penang. There he rose to the position of Executive Director. His next career move was to join Bernama as a journalist in 1977. There he was elevated to become the Economic News Editor. It was during this period he was invited to become a Press Secretary to the Minister of Works who was (and is) also the President of MIC. That set the stage for the crucial take-off in his political career. He was chosen as a candidate in the country's general elections in 1990 and had won every single election as a member of parliament ever since until his loss in the 8 March 2008 elections when a tidal wave of voter sentiment against the ruling coalition came to the fore that resulted in the loss of four states out of thirteen to the opposition and in the loss of two-third majority in the Parliament.