Speaking to reporters after the nominations for the MIC polls at the party headquarters here this evening, he said Rayer had made the claims in the House knowing that he enjoys parliamentary privilege.

“He knows he can say whatever he wants in the Dewan Rakyat because he enjoys parliamentary privilege.

“Ask him to repeat his allegations outside Parliament. Once he does that, he will know who Vigneswaran is. Don’t be a coward and make allegations only inside the Dewan Rakyat,” he said.

Vigneswaran claimed that whatever allegations Rayer had made in Parliament were all lies, adding that hurling such allegations are normal during election time.

On Wednesday, a heated argument erupted in the Dewan Rakyat after the Jelutong MP asked national unity minister Halimah Sadique if any MIC leaders were involved in the scandal, naming Vigneswaran and MIC secretary-general M Asojan.

Halimah said she would not disclose details about the Mitra grants that were allegedly misused as the matter was being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

MACC arrested 16 people last month in connection with allegations that Mitra funds were abused from 2019 to 2021. The investigations are still ongoing.