In huff over Palanivel’s ‘sole rep’ in BN claim

Two pro-BN Indian parties are upset over MIC chief's declaration that only his party has the legitimacy to represent the community in the BN.

PETALING JAYA: Indian-based pro-Barisan Nasional (BN) parties are up in arms over G Palanivel’s announcement that only MIC has the legitimate right to represent the community in the BN.

Yesterday, at the party’s 65th annual general meeting, the MIC president declared that MIC would walk out if other Indian parties were given membership into the BN.

“Leaving BN is his (Palanivel’s) wish. Joining BN is my right,” Malaysian Indian United Party (MIUP) president, S Nallakaruppan, said, adding that he was unhappy with the former’s statement.

Nallakaruppan said Palanivel’s statement was a veiled threat to other Indian-based parties which are BN-friendly.

“If no other Indian parties are allowed to be in BN, the community will go to the opposition,” said Nallakaruppan who was MIC Youth chief in the 1980s.

Indian Progressive Front (IPF) president M Sambanthan, meanwhile, said that Palanivel had delivered a wrong message.

“He is just MIC president, not president of all the Malaysian Indians,” said Sambanthan who took over the IPF’s mantle last year.

“What Palanivel said is against Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s wish for unity. What if we, in IPF, do not back MIC in the general election?” he asked.

Sambanthan told FMT that IPF would be able to swing the support of 200,000 Indians from Pakatan Rakyat in favour of BN if his party is given full membership.

Meanwhile, on unity talks, both party leaders said that there were no attempts by MIC to engage in unity talks for the sake of the Indian community.

Three months ago, MIC was involved in unity talks with MIUP and IPF.

Sambanthan, however, told FMT that his party’s Youth and women’s wing were invited for a talk with MIC tomorrow.

Both MIUP and IPF leaders said they had no problems working together to unite Indians under the BN banner.