MIC deputy youth chief K Kesavan attended the Bersatu Youth wing’s annual general meeting today, marking the first official invitation for his party amid signs that Perikatan Nasional is courting MCA and MIC to join them.
“They invited us, so I am here,” he told FMT.
Asked if MIC might consider joining PN, Kesavan said: “That will be up to my party president. This is the first time they have invited us.”
MIC deputy president M Saravanan also confirmed with FMT the party was invited to attend and that Kesavan was “their representative”.
Also spotted at the event was Muda central executive committee member Rahmat Amran.
Yesterday, PN secretary-general Azmin Ali revealed that the coalition has held informal discussions with MIC and MCA.
The two parties helped form Barisan Nasional together with Umno in the early 1970s, and the three were also partners in the Alliance coalition before that.
BN is a key partner of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government, which was formed after the 15th general election resulted in a hung parliament.
In June, MCA president Wee Ka Siong said the party’s 191 divisions would discuss its future amid discontent over its lack of influence in the government, and bring their proposals to the annual general meeting in October.
MIC also said it was prepared to engage in discussions with any political party to ensure its survival and better serve the Indian community.
However, BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi recently said MCA and MIC’s top leaders had not discussed leaving the coalition with him.
