KUALA LUMPUR, 5 July 2023 ( The Capital Post) – In a unanimous decision reached during the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) on June 30, 2023, the party has announced that it will not be participating in the upcoming State Elections (PRN) in Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pulau Pinang, Selangor, and Negeri Sembilan. This decision comes after approximately four hours of deliberation, taking into account the current political landscape and hearing the views of every CWC member.
However, MIC will continue to fulfill its role as a component party of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.
It is worth noting that the statement made by YB Datuk Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad bin Hasan regarding the final decision on seat allocation for the upcoming PRN was not discussed nor agreed upon by the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council or the MIC party.
The decision made by MIC has been communicated to the Right Honorable Prime Minister, who also serves as the Chairman of the Perpaduan Madani Government.
The decision not to contest in the upcoming PRN is solely aimed at safeguarding the interests of MIC. Currently, the party will shift its focus towards building a stronger party structure in preparation for the 16th General Elections (PRU-16).
En. RT Rajasekaran, the Secretary-General of MIC, stated via a press release , “The decision made by MIC is intended to protect the party’s interests. At this time, we will dedicate more attention to the process of constructing a more robust party structure to face PRU-16 in the future.”
This announcement by MIC will undoubtedly have implications for the political landscape in the aforementioned states. As one of the major political parties representing the Indian community in Malaysia, MIC’s decision not to contest may create opportunities for other parties to vie for the support of Indian voters.
As the political scene continues to evolve in the lead-up to PRN, it remains to be seen how this decision by MIC will impact the overall electoral landscape and the dynamics within the Barisan Nasional coalition. – The Capital Post