MIC questions Umno break-up with Bersatu, vows support for PM in GE15

MIC today criticised Umno’s move to cut ties with Bersatu in the impending general election, questioning as well requests for Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties to let go of their electoral seats to ensure victory at the polls.

Speaking at MIC’s 74th general assembly in Klang today, its president S Vigneswaran also questioned Umno’s decision to leave the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, confirmed at the Malay party’s assembly last week.

Earlier this week, MIC vice-president Sivarraajh Chandran had hit out at a request by a Puteri Umno leader that the party allow Umno to contest the Sungai Siput parliamentary constituency, a seat traditionally allocatef to MIC.

He also asked Umno to name its candidate for prime minister before seeking to negotiate seats for the next general election with its partners in the coalition.

In his speech today, Vigneswaran questioned if MIC should support Umno’s move to leave Bersatu.

“If this involves the issue of seats, the matter can be easily resolved because Umno has informed MIC and MCA that we have to sacrifice some seats to the new coalition for victory in GE15,” he said.

He added that MIC has only nine parliamentary seats and is considering the best move for a coalition victory and the possibility that 35% of MIC seats might have to be sacrificed.

“If this is Umno’s advice and conclusion on the fate of MIC, then what is wrong if Umno is also willing to sacrifice at least 10% of their seats?”

He also said that that MIC would support the leadership of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in the next general election.

“MIC at present will support the leadership of Muhyiddin and will cooperate with Bersatu to a new development in the decision of the BN Supreme Council.

“Let us wait and see on political movements for the near term.”

He said it was important for the BN leadership to reach an agreement with PN to find the best way to avoid clashes between government parties, especially in the allocation of seats.

“Certainly there will have to be some sacrifice among the parties in these two coalitions to avoid clashes with each other in the election in order to achieve the larger goal of forming a stable government and rebounding the country’s economy, crippled by the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.