Why MIC needs to leave BN

LETTER | Once hailed as the crown jewel of the Indian community by our forefathers, for over seven decades, MIC was the sole legitimate channel to address the needs and aspiration of the Indian society.

In the 2004 general elections, MIC secured nine MP seats, winning all that it contested, along with 20 state assembly seats. However, in the 2018 general elections, MIC managed to secure only two out of nine seats, subsequently ‘losing’ the Cameron Highlands seat eight months later through non-selection in a by-election. 

As we speak, MIC is left with a trifling one MP seat (out of 222 seats) and 3 state assembly seats (out of 505 seats).

Apart from rejection by the majority of Malaysians of BN, the electoral outcome is also a testament to the forfeiture of support for MIC among Indians.

The recent disparaging comment by Nazri Aziz (BN secretary-general) on the ability of MIC to survive (garner support) without being in alliance with BN further diminished its standing with Indians. Has MIC been living in denial on the denunciation of its very own community on its continuing alliance with Umno/BN? Or is it the Indians who did not see the goodness in MIC after all its efforts for the betterment of the society in whole?

After the perturbing 2018 electoral outcome, there have been very little developments from MIC. Instead of backing off, MIC should continue to uphold its main objective to safeguard and promote the political, economic, educational, cultural and social interests of the Indians.

One of the milestone achievements of MIC was the Malaysian Indian Blueprint (MIB), introduced under BN rule. The MIB was the first-ever federal government-initiated blueprint document and the result of all the previous efforts by either political party, academic or civil society aspirational documents in lobbying the previous government to address needs and concerns of Malaysian Indians.

The MIB aims to tackle the vital issues plaguing the Indian community especially among the B40, who make up 38.71% of the population equivalence to 227,600 households in 2014 (Department of Statistics, Malaysia). MIB also systematically strategize solutions on income inequality, house ownership, statelessness, youth unemployment and education among Indians in whole.

Deplorably, it appears that MIC has lost its importance as and there is little traces of the MIB found in the official MIC website today.

Instead of bickering on with BN, MIC should shed its ego to join hands with PH ministers in developing an action plan with key performance indicators, goals and timelines on the implementation of MIB. Opting out and letting the new government shoulder the responsibility of MIB is not appropriate. It is time for MIC to take the bull by its horns and move away from BN in order to concentrate in the MIB agendas genuinely. This should be the main strategy to reinvigorate its position as a reliable representative of the Indian community.

Breaking away from BN will give MIC the freedom to work together with federal ministers from PH. If the goal of MIC is really to behold the welfare of the community, the loss of power or position should not be a hindrance. In fact, being politically neutral accords MIC the opportunity to play a pivotal role in the betterment of Malaysian Indians in whole.

MIC, it is now or never!

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.