KUALA LUMPUR — MIC has denied claims that it has joined Perikatan Nasional, maintaining that it remains a component party of Barisan Nasional for now.
The MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan stressed that any move to leave Barisan would require a decision by the party’s Central Working Committee (CWC), local media reported.
“MIC is still with Barisan, as the party has not decided on anything,” he said
“We have not joined Perikatan. As of today, MIC is still in Barisan,” he said
Saravanan also clarified that the party has not submitted any formal application to join Perikatan.
“We did not make any official application to join PN.
“Whether to remain in BN or join any other party — that decision has not been made yet,” he told NST online.
His remarks come amid claims by Perikatan Nasional secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan that the coalition had accepted MIC as a component party, offering it a “better role and position”.
Takiyuddin said an official letter would be handed to MIC president Tan Sri S A Vigneswaran to formalise its entry into the coalition.
“I confirm that I will meet the MIC president tonight to hand over the official letter that they have been accepted as a component party of PN.
“MIC’s entry was approved since December last year, but at PN’s meeting last Saturday, we officially confirmed the party’s admission, making it the fifth component party,” he said after an event in Kota Bharu.
Takiyuddin is scheduled to meet Vigneswaran in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday night to clarify the matter. – March 17, 2026