Cracks in 'unity'? MIC signals possible realignment

 

In the wake of MIC deputy president M Saravanan stirring a hornet’s nest with claims of the party being sidelined by the unity government - sparking a war of words with both Umno and DAP - party president SA Vigneswaran has made it clear that all options are on the table.

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“MIC is ready to negotiate with any party for the future of MIC and the well-being of the Indian community,” he told the Perak MIC assembly yesterday.

Although he claimed there were no invitations from other parties or coalitions, Vigneswaran made it clear that the time had come to act in the interest of the party.

"So, I have decided to open the door to discussions with other parties. If it benefits the party, I will do whatever is necessary … for the Indian community as well," the former Dewan Negara president said.

The BN component party has been grappling with declining relevance since the watershed 2008 general election, with its influence steadily eroding with each subsequent national polls.

In 2020, MIC alongside its partners Umno and MCA aligned with Perikatan Nasional to form the government following a political coup which toppled the Pakatan Harapan government - just 22 months after it unseated BN in the 2018 general election.

Embattled MIC

In the 2022 general election, MIC faced yet another setback, with Saravanan emerging as the party’s sole victor after successfully defending his Tapah parliamentary seat.

Meanwhile, Vigneswaran failed in his bid to capture Sungai Siput, a once-formidable MIC bastion famously held by the late party icon and former president, S Samy Vellu.

Under the Madani government, both MIC and MCA - the latter also facing calls to exit BN - are without cabinet representation.

Earlier, Saravanan said the party would announce its direction after its annual general assembly in October.

In response, Umno president and BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi advised MIC against leaving the coalition or the unity government, describing it as a well-structured party that has consistently championed the Indian community's interests.

“It is a very influential party. I believe that if the Indian voters throw their support behind MIC again, the party will be able to have more representatives in Parliament and the state assemblies,” he added.

MIC deputy president M Saravanan (left) and Umno supreme council member Puad Zarkashi

However, fireworks erupted after DAP assemblyperson M Thulsi suggested that MIC should exit the Madani government if Saravanan felt the party was being treated like an “uninvited guest”.

Umno supreme council member Puad Zarkashi added fuel to the fire by accusing Saravanan of being obsessed with positions - a remark that prompted the MIC leader to recall how Umno had once taken a firm stance against working with Harapan chairperson Anwar Ibrahim or DAP prior to the last general election. - Mkini