Malaysia's only ethnic Indian Cabinet minister Samy Vellu was surrounded and heckled by some youths during the foundation laying ceremony for a Tamil school, a report said on Thursday.

The incident happened after Vellu, who is chief of Malaysian Indian Congress, finished performing the ceremony on Wednesday.

Vellu and the youths became involved in a heated argument, Star newspaper said.

The reason was not known.
 
Police were called in and they escorted Vellu from the area.

The last few months have witnessed a simmering discontent by section of the ethnic Indian community in this country over the performance of Vellu in his capacity as MIC president.

They feel that he has not done enough for the uplift of the community. He has dismissed these allegations. Vellu is the Works Minister in the Abdullah Badawi cabinet.