KOTA TINGGI: MIC today admitted that the party has held informal discussions with Perikatan Nasional (PN) on its future direction.
MIC president Tan Sri S. A. Vigneswaran said the party leadership is carefully reviewing its course following proposals from grassroots members, including those from Kedah and Penang, to support PN.
He said the country’s changing political dynamics and landscape require the party to decide its direction to ensure it does not become irrelevant.
“Yes, we acknowledge that we have held informal discussions with PN on MIC‘s direction. MIC is not hiding anything… This is not a ‘secret relationship’.
“We will determine our own path. Having said that, we are not upset with anyone,” he said after officiating the 79th Johor MIC Delegates Convention here today.
Also present was Johor MIC chairman K. Raven.
It was reported last week that several MIC branches, including those in Kedah, Penang, and Perak, passed motions to cooperate with PN and did not rule out leaving Barisan Nasional (BN).
However, MIC Kedah chairman SK Suresh was quoted as saying that the final decision would be made by the party’s central leadership.
Commenting further, Vigneswaran said MIC is still carefully reviewing its future direction before coming to a final decision.
He said the decision to be made would be for the benefit of the Indian community in the country and for the party’s future.
“Everyone must understand that the country’s political dynamics have changed. If MIC does not accept this reality, we will be lost.
“MIC accepts it; we are labelled weak, yet it is strange that many still want to discuss this party. We don’t understand that.
“Much analysis has been done about MIC, many things have been said, but we do not believe them. MIC only trusts our grassroots,” he said.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
