THE Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) has firmly rejected claims that it has joined Perikatan Nasional (PN), emphasising that no final decision has been taken by its leadership despite the coalition’s announcement of its acceptance.
Deputy President Datuk Seri M Saravanan said the matter remains under consideration and can only be decided by the party’s highest decision-making body.
"I think there may be some misunderstanding. We have said from the beginning that only the Central Working Committee will decide, but so far no decision has been made," he said.
He explained that earlier communication with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) was merely exploratory, aimed at understanding potential roles within the coalition.
"In December last year, we only sent a letter to Bersatu to understand what kind of role they were offering us," he added.
Saravanan reiterated that MIC continues to remain within Barisan Nasional, dismissing reports of a confirmed political shift.
"Whether to remain in BN or to any other party – the decision has not been made," he said, adding,
"I dont know where they derived this," and describing suggestions that MIC had already joined PN as "speculation."
His remarks directly contradict statements by PN secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, who maintained that MIC’s application had been approved and formalised during a recent coalition meeting.
He said an official letter confirming the decision would be delivered to party president Tan Sri S A Vigneswaran.
"I confirm that I will meet the MIC president tonight to hand over an official letter stating that they have been accepted as a component party of PN," Takiyuddin said earlier on Tuesday, noting that the approval had been in place since December but was formally endorsed at the coalition’s meeting last Saturday.
He further suggested that PN is restructuring its leadership to be more inclusive. "If previously positions were held by PAS and Bersatu, they are now more broadly distributed. Even MIC, which has just joined PN, may be given positions," he said.
Takiyuddin added that the coalition is widening its reach beyond political parties to include non-governmental organisations and individual associate members, signalling a broader strategy to expand its support base.
The divergence in positions highlights continued uncertainty over MIC’s future alignment. Although party delegates passed a resolution at last year’s annual general meeting to explore leaving Barisan Nasional and joining PN, the leadership has yet to formalise any such move.
For now, MIC maintains its status quo, with its leadership stressing that any decision on its political direction will only be made following thorough deliberation at the highest level of the party. - March 17, 2026
