SEVERAL MIC branch chairmen in Selangor and its grassroots members will continue to back Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidates in the August 12 state polls despite party president S.A. Vigneswaran’s order, said K.R Parthiban. 

The recently sacked Central Working Committee (CWC) member and former Ijok assemblyman claimed most members had expressed to him that they will snub Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidates in the state despite the public pledge from the party president to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on supporting them. 

“The top leaderships can say what they want but they don’t understand the problems faced by members at the grassroots level. 

“From what I’m aware of and the feedback I’ve received, members (of MIC) are still working with PN in Selangor. No changes despite the president’s instruction (on Wednesday),” Parthiban told The Malaysian Insight. 

Earlier, it was reported that at least 50 MIC leaders in Selangor joined forces with Parthiban to bolster support for PN candidates in the upcoming state elections.

Yesterday, Vigneswaran brushed off the claims, claiming it was not happening.

“I can give my assurance as MIC president and I can vouch for my division. 

“Reports of some 50 members supporting PN – all that is rubbish,” he said. 

Vigeswaran also pledged that MIC will work for the victory of PH candidates after initially saying it would only support BN nominees in the state polls. 

Calling Anwar’s meeting with MIC leadership as a last ditch attempt to secure the Indian party’s votes, Parthiban claimed that members at the grassroots level are not keen to work with PH. 

“Despite the president’s pledge and Anwar’s convincing talk, several branch leaders have expressed their dissatisfaction. 

“With elections around the corner, maybe they (PH) will approach the MIC members because they want to work together and garner votes but after the elections, everything will go back to square one.

“It is not that several leaders and grassroots in Selangor willingly want to support PN because they like them but this is a way of expressing their protest towards PH,” Parthiban said. 

Parthiban said that whatever meeting that took place yesterday between MIC leaderships and Anwar is not a permanent remedy. 

“For now, several leaders and members have decided to work and vote for PN.

“There is no change in that,” he said. 

Last week, Parthiban was immediately suspended and expelled from the party after his involvement campaigning for PN in the upcoming state elections.

Parthiban, who attended the launch of the PN Supporters Club (Indian Chapter) in Tanjung Karang was appointed as lead the secretariat responsible for the Northern Selangor region. –  August 3, 2023.