Mic Can Decide On Party S Future Without Mca Says Sec Gen

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Any decision by MIC is taken in the interest of the party and the Indian community, without having to defer to MCA, said its secretary-general, S Ananthan.
He stressed that as a BN component party, MIC has full autonomy to determine its own direction and position.
“MIC is a mature party and capable of making independent decisions. We do not need advice from anyone, nor do we need to make joint decisions with MCA.
“Decisions will be made by the MIC leadership in the best interests of the Indian community and Malaysians as a whole,” Ananthan (above) told Malaysiakini.
ADSHe said this when asked whether MIC would decide its future alongside MCA - in the absence of Umno.
Recently, four MIC state liaison committees passed resolutions to withdraw from BN.
Earlier, MIC president SA Vigneswaran, at the party’s assembly in Perak, said MIC was ready to negotiate with any party for the party’s future and the well-being of the Indian community.
That statement came after his deputy president M Saravanan claimed that the party had been sidelined by the coalition government.
MCA’s wait-and-see approach
Meanwhile, MCA’s leadership has tended to adopt a “wait and see” stance in deciding the party’s direction, although its grassroots have expressed dissatisfaction with the Umno–DAP cooperation.
Expanding on this, Ananthan stressed that MIC remains committed to working with all parties in the coalition government, but such cooperation must be based on mutual respect.
“We respect MCA as a partner in BN, but MIC has its own identity and political agenda that must take precedence,” he said.
Amid mounting resentment in MIC and MCA, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man had invited the two BN component parties to join forces, noting their disappointment at being left without representation in the government.
On Sept 2, Perikatan Nasional secretary-general Azmin Ali described the offer to MCA and MIC as a “positive development” towards the 16th general election.
Azmin said PN welcomes any political party or individual who embraces the coalition’s ideals and struggles “to correct the worsening situation in the country.” - Mkini

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