MIC: In need of recognition not govt position

MIC wants due recognition instead of government positions from the unity government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

A failure of getting recognition would result in MIC determining its next course of action, said deputy president M Saravanan in his concluding speech at the party’s 77th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Maeps, Serdang yesterday.

“We support the government of the day as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has decreed. We are very clear that we will not ask for positions in the government, but we want recognition.

“If we don’t get due respect, the party leadership will announce our next course of action,” he told a crowd of more than 1,500 delegates present at the meeting.

He said this in response to a delegate’s question during the debate session.

Saravanan who is also the sole MP representing however did not elaborate what he meant by “next course of action”.

Earlier, Puchong MIC division chief Awthar Singh called on the party to take a stand on its future.

MIC a reserve player

Awthar claimed that the government of the day, particularly under the Pakatan Harapan administration, only used MIC during the election and did not recognise it afterwards.

Meanwhile, Saravanan revealed that Anwar had visited MIC’s headquarters in August to “request for a year to fulfil the demands of party members”.

“But we are unsure, (if) the one-year request started in August or since last November (when Anwar was sworn in as premier). So I asked our members to be patient.

“We will not ‘sell’ this party to anyone,” he said.

Earlier today, MIC president SA Vigneswaran said the party was aware of being a “reserve player”, as opposed to one on the main roster.

Vigneswaran was responding to questions on grievances from certain quarters about MIC being ‘sidelined’ from the current coalition government.

He then assured the audience that MIC has other “more important” roles.