IPF against merger of Indian-based parties

Merging all the Indian political parties has been suggested before but the leaders say a lot of sacrifice and a change of attitude is needed.

PETALING JAYA: Indian Progressive Party (IPF) president M Sambanthan said the party is willing to work with any Indian-based party but will not agree to a merger.

He said this in response to the idea mooted by Barisan Nasional secretary-general Tengku Adnan Mansor calling all Indian parties to merge into a single entity under the ruling coalition.

“We have tried to merge with MIC when MG Pandithan was the president, but failed and we have learned from a hard lesson,” he added.

Sambanthan said for a merger to happen all Indian-based parties, including the MIC, should dissolve and come under a new entity to serve the Indian community.

“If you look at the history, IPF was created when some of its members had a disagreement with MIC leadership and left to form a new party,” said Sambanthan.

He said some of the MIC members had been belittling IPF members’ co-operation and support and this had been happening for some time.

“So how do you expect us to rejoin MIC?” asked Sambanthan.

He recalled what happened to PPP leader T Murugiah who joined MIC.

“Nowadays, we don’t hear of him anymore or is he being overshadowed by the MIC leaders?” asked Sambanthan.

Malaysian Indian United Party (MIUP) president S Nallakarupan said merger talks between Indian-based parties had been going on since Samy Vellu was the MIC president.

He said he also mooted the idea of merging the Indian parties to MIC’s present president G Palanivel.

Nallakarupan said Palanivel had welcomed the idea but insisted it would only materialise if other parties agreed to the idea.

“To merge as an entity, all the parties need to have a common understanding and the political will to accept the changes,” he said.

He added that all the parties need drop their ideologies and find a common ground and work towards the benefit of the Indian community.

On Sunday, Tengku Adnan had said merging all Indian parties was vital for BN to get the support of the Indian community.

He had said in the last general election 48% of Indians voted for BN and the ruling coalition was looking forward to increase the support to 70%.

Reacting to this, MIC deputy president Dr S Subramaniam said his party was ready to merge with other Indian-based parties under the MIC umbrella,but woul not agree to the formation of a new one to represent the community.

Views By Indian NGOs

Malaysian Indian Progressive Association (MIPAS) secretary-general S Barathidasan agreed to the idea of merging all Indian parties into a single entity under BN.

“Now we have several political parties championing Indian rights and issues in different directions,” he said.

He suggested that all the political parties find a common ground to bring matters affecting Indians to the government.

Barathidasan said even though there were several Indian parties, the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were doing more work and raising the issues affecting Indians.

National Indian Action Team (NIAT) chairman Thasleem Mohamed Ibrahim said it would also be good to bring the various associations like Telegu and Malayalam associations under a common umbrella.

He said the government should stop allowing the formation of such associations and put them in a common ground.