Umno veteran says MIC a 'burden' to BN

 

An Umno veteran has lashed out at MIC, dismissing the party's presence in BN as being nothing more than an unnecessary burden.

Umno Veterans Club secretary-general Mustapha Yaakub said he personally hoped the MIC would go through with its consideration to withdraw from BN after declaring support for Perikatan Nasional.

At the MIC 74th annual general assembly last weekend, delegates also mandated party leaders to decide their political alliance in the forthcoming 15th general election.

"I am not worried by MIC's actions. They have been a burden to Umno since the Alliance Party days until BN. Like carrying a 'dead monitor lizard'," said Mustapha, who cited a Malay proverb.

"There was no burden, but they (BN) picked up a rock. I really hope MIC leaves BN.

"Let PN allocate more seats that MIC can win in GE15," he said.

"InsyaAllah, Umno will fill the vacancies in Malay-majority seats that all this while was given to MIC," he said in a Facebook post.

A week after Umno's decision to sever ties with Bersatu, MIC pledged the party's support for PN, pending the BN supreme council's final decision.

MIC president SA Vigneswaran in his policy speech also defended the party's decision to invite Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who delivered a virtual address.

Meanwhile, Mustapha said he had previously proposed for BN to be dissolved after its GE14 loss, at the point when its Sarawak component parties deserted the coalition.

"This is to avoid Umno, as the largest component party, from suffering its biggest shame if even more parties were to exit BN.

"Today, it looks like BN's long-term ally MIC is almost certain to leave. And maybe MCA will follow through.

"InsyaAllah, Umno will fill the vacancies," he said. - Mkini