KLANG: Will the MIC finally throw in the towel and walk away from Barisan Nasional after decades as a pioneering partner in the coalition?
While onlookers speculate, many party members believe the MIC would face a political dead end if it chose to quit Barisan.
They argue that not only the MIC have lost their once formidable position due to the changing political landscape.
Given these changes, a minority party representing a diverse and divided community cannot risk making a move that could send it into political obscurity.
However, both political observers and party members agree that the question of whether to quit Barisan will be the main topic at the party’s 2025 one-day annual general meeting in Shah Alam on Sunday (Nov 16).
Several MIC grassroots members claim the party has been ignored and sidelined by ‘big brother’ Umno after it joined forces with Pakatan Harapan to form the unity government.
“Umno has forgotten how we worked very hard for Barisan for decades. We are supposed to be one big family that supports each other but instead we have been discarded and pushed aside,” said one grassroots leader.
A senior MIC leader confirmed that the party’s position and future in Barisan would be hotly debated by delegates on Sunday. He said delegates are likely to leave the final decision to MIC president Tan Sri S.A Vigneswaran, as many factors must be considered before a decision is made.
“The MIC has three state seats, one exco position, 35 councillors, several village headmen and a special officer to the mentri besar in Johor.
“What will happen to these positions if the MIC chooses to quit Barisan?” he asked.
He added the MIC also has an exco member and special officer to the chief minister in Melaka and local government councillors in Perak.
Leaving Barisan now, he said, would result in those holding these positions becoming not only displaced but also disgruntled.
“If we decide to leave in spite of all this, what would our direction be? Although the matter was hotly debated at branch and division meetings and will be thoroughly discussed at the annual general meeting, it is doubtful the MIC will leave Barisan at the moment,” he said.
Political analyst Prof Datuk Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said the MIC should not walk out of the coalition given its long history, first with the Alliance, then Barisan.
“What matters now is for all Barisan coalition parties to collectively regain public trust. The Barisan coalition parties need each other and must rely on their branding as a multi-ethnic coalition to move forward after the changes that took place following 2022,” said Dr Sivamurugan.
He added that all Barisan partners should address the root causes of their current differences and resolve issues as one big family.
