MIC today said it is willing to join the Muafakat Nasional pact between PAS and Umno, in contrast to its Barisan Nasional partner MCA, which said it only recognises the BN coalition, Malaysiakini reported.

On whether his party would consider joining Muafakat Nasional, MIC president S.A. Vigneswaran was quoted in the report as saying: “Yes, of course.”

MCA president Wee Ka Siong, meanwhile, dismissed talk of the creation of a new coalition.

“No, no. We only appear in one coalition, that is BN. I don’t understand what you are saying about a new coalition.

“I said it in my policy speech, it is purely the spirit of opposition togetherness… My interpretation of Muafakat Nasional is not something that you have to apply to be a member, but anyone who wishes, who subscribes to the idea, even Sarawakians, Sabahans, and those want to contest together,” Wee told Malaysiakini.

Earlier today, Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan said Muafakat Nasional’s technical committee was looking strengthen the alliance between Umno and PAS, such as by including MCA and MIC, if they wanted to join it. 

Mohamad had said on the sidelines of MCA’s annual general meeting earlier today that the alliance could either be cemented through the formation of a new coalition such as Pakatan Harapan or left loose, “Westminster style”.

This also includes the possibility of forming a new party or just keeping the two parties at status quo. – December 1, 2019.