MIC president SA Vigneswaran has called out the hypocrisy of criticism levelled against the party when it began exploring alliances outside of Barisan Nasional, particularly with PAS.
He pointed out that PKR and DAP had worked with PAS under the now-defunct Pakatan Rakyat alliance, while Umno had the Muafakat Nasional (MN) pact with the Islamic party, which later also fizzled out.
“When Pakatan Rakyat wanted to collaborate with PAS, it was hailed as ‘reform’. When Umno collaborated with PAS, it was referred to as the ‘unification of the ummah’.
“But when MIC starts considering linking up with PAS, it becomes an unacceptable issue, and we’re asked to remain silent and confined within political boundaries set by others.
“This is the double standard we must confront,” he said during his opening remarks at MIC’s annual convention at IDCC Shah Alam here today.
The MN charter was signed between Umno and PAS in 2019, when Pakatan Harapan was leading the federal government, as the two largest Malay-Muslim parties formalised a historic cooperation.
The pact fell apart after PAS formed Perikatan Nasional with Bersatu while insisting that Bersatu be included in MN, which Umno was against.
On Sept 5, Perikatan Nasional secretary-general Azmin Ali confirmed that there were talks with MIC and MCA on a possible electoral cooperation for the next nationwide polls (GE16).
Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi had mocked these discussions as simply being the result of the relevant parties struggling for their political survival with GE16 approaching.
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