RATHER than surmising that MIC is going to sink or swim with UMNO, it is more realistic to say that while the latter might swim in the troubled waters of politics, MIC might sink, said Penang Deputy Chief Minister II Prof Dr Ramasamy Palanisamy.
The Perai assemblyman said that winning one state seat in the recent Melaka election is no indication of the party’s popularity, nor does it indicate that the party has the power to “swim”.
“The recent party elections where the top posts were not contested, is yet another indication that the party has lost its allure in the Indian community,” Ramasamy pointed out.
Claiming that MIC president Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran is neither a popular nor an effective leader and that whatever effectiveness of the party had disappeared with the retirement of its former president and strongman S. Samy Vellu, Ramasamy went on to describe MIC as a “one-man show as other promising leaders were pushed out in the dog-eat-dog-world”.
“Vigneswaran might have gone along with former premier and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) leader Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin but things are different now after Muhyiddin resigned as prime minister,” he commented.
In April 2021, MIC had rebuked UMNO for its decision to break ties with Bersatu, with Vigneswaran saying that despite UMNO’s unilateral decision, MIC will continue to support Muhyiddin’s administration for the time being.
“UMNO and Barisan Nasional (BN) [being back on the rise] serves as a reality check for MIC, and [the party is back to playing] the old and worn-out game of ‘sinking and swimming with UMNO.
“However, I doubt that this mantra has any relevance anymore after MIC shifted to embrace Muhyiddin, thus causing discomfort to UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“Zahid himself had remarked that MIC might not be the sole representative of the Indian community in BN anymore.”
Ramasamy was referring to recent news that Zahid had shown his support for the Malaysia Makkal Sakthi Party (MMSP) by asking it to compete in the next general election under the BN banner.
“Given the political tide, there is no question of MIC backing either Bersatu or PN – the marriage of convenience is over,” he added.
“Now MIC has no choice but to tag along with UMNO in the BN coalition even with the admission of MMSP.
“Earlier, MIC was able to effectively oppose the admission of other Indian parties but presently it is too weak and terribly subservient to make demands.
“There was no excitement in the recent MIC election because Indians have generally given up on the party.”
Ramasamy further claimed that Indians have left the party to seek sanctuary in more multiracial parties especially in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition.
“The party could have done a lot for the community during the years when it had a significant presence but it failed due to its servile and subservient politics.
“Therefore, it can only be concluded that the ‘sink or swim with UMNO’ mantra might no longer be applicable anymore to describe the relationship between MIC and UMNO because MIC is gradually sinking although this is really no big loss to the Indian community.” – Dec 7, 2021
