FRINGE Indian parties, long locked out by the bigger Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) from the Barisan Nasional (BN), are trying to get into the established coalition even though it has lost federal power at the last general election.

Their perseverance comes amid talk that MIC is mulling its future in BN and may opt to join the Perikatan Nasional pact.

Last month, MIC president S.A. Vigneswaran at the party’s general assembly said it will support the leadership of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and work with Bersatu.

This decision comes after Umno has decided to sever ties with Bersatu in the next general election. However, MIC has remained silent about its position in BN.

The fringe parties have been encouraged following a recent meeting with BN deputy chairman Mohamad Hasan.

Five BN-friendly parties – Indian Progressive Front (IPF), Makkal Sakti, Malaysian Indian United Party (MIUP), Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma) and multiracial Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) – attended the meeting last month.

All said they want to help the coalition, which had ruled Malaysia for 61 years, get back in power and hope they would be allowed to contest under the BN banner in the 15th general election (GE15).

IPF assistant general secretary Ganesan Perumal said the five parties will work hand in hand to bring support to BN and restore the glory days to the fallen giant.

“In the meeting, all five parties expressed our interest in becoming BN component parties, which the deputy chairman said will consider as it needs to be discussed with (BN chairman) Ahmad Zahid Hamidi,” Ganesan told The Malaysian Insight.

“However, it was a fruitful meeting because BN now knows that it can rely on us to bring in the non-Malay votes for the coalition.

“When we work together under the BN banner, our support will add to the coalition’s strength, which will make it a greater force.”

Last year, Mohamad, better known as Tok Mat, said BN is open to accepting any party wanting to join the coalition, but only with the consensus of its four component parties.

The four members of BN are Umno, MIC, MCA and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS).

Ganesan said IPF will not work with MIC but will maintain good ties with Umno and MCA.

He said the party’s supreme council made the decision not to work with MIC after the latter’s party president had claimed that some BN-friendly parties betrayed the coalition in the last election.

Makkal Sakti president R.S. Thanenthiran pledged his loyalty to BN, saying the party will always be with the coalition in good and bad times.

Taking a dig at MIC, he said Makkal Sakti will not betray BN by supporting others.

“We are not like some party (referring to MIC) which is threatening or being disloyal to BN. Never once have we done that,” he said.

MIUP president K.S. Nallakaruppan said the meeting with Tok Mat was to discuss the prospect of working together in GE15.

He said if these parties can band together, then they could draw in the non-Malay votes, particularly the Indian ones.

Confident of contesting on the BN ticket

Ganesan said he is optimistic that IPF will get some seats to contest in in GE15.

“We have requested three parliamentary and four state seats, but it is up to the BN chairman to decide,” he said.

Likewise, Thanenthiran said with many parties having left BN, he is confident that Makkal Sakti will get the nod to contest in GE15 on the BN ticket.

He said the “vacant” seats now can be shared with the BN-friendly parties.

“There are many vacant seats after Gerakan and People’s Progressive Party left the coalition,” he said.

“These seats can be shared among BN-friendly parties such as Makkal Sakti, IPF, MIUP, PCM and Kimma.

“So, I’m confident that this time, they (BN) will give Makkal Sakti some seats to contest in in GE15.”

However, he declined to say if Makkal Sakti has requested any seats for GE15.

Last year, at Makkal Sakti’s 12th annual general meeting, Thanenthiran had expressed his party’s interest to contest in three parliamentary and seven state seats in GE15. 

BN, the world’s longest-ruling party, lost power after 61 years at the GE14 to the Pakatan Harapan coalition, then led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad. – May 23, 2021.