The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) appears unclear about its direction and is sending conflicting messages regarding a potential exit from Barisan Nasional (BN), according to an analyst. He argues that BN would not miss the party, which also has little to contribute to Pakatan Harapan (PH).
Azmi Hassan from Akademi Nusantara noted that MIC president SA Vigneswaran’s declaration of supporting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim even if the party leaves BN highlights its position between alliances, with minimal influence remaining.
“It resembles Umno in Sabah—outside the state bloc but still aligned federally. MIC, like Umno, seems unsure of its next step,” he told FMT.
MIC lacks negotiating strength with PH, as PKR and DAP already hold strong appeal among Indian voters. “PH attracts Indian support much more effectively than MIC. The party brings nothing new to the table,” he said.
Conversely, BN—especially Umno—could benefit from MIC’s departure, simplifying seat negotiations.
“If MIC exits, BN avoids complicating seat allocations in the Melaka and Johor state elections or the upcoming general election. Umno can claim those seats directly,” he added.
Awang Azman Pawi from Universiti Malaya warned that MIC’s already fragile electoral prospects would deteriorate further by leaving BN, given its longstanding reliance on Umno’s voter base for national relevance.
“Without that support, the party fades even more into obscurity,” he stated.
Awang urged MIC to prioritise rebuilding ties with Indian voters rather than pointing fingers at Umno or others. “Going independent would hasten its political decline. It would cease to matter in the mainstream,” he said.
Azmil Tayeb from Universiti Sains Malaysia explained that PH would likely block MIC’s entry, since DAP and PKR already vie for non-Malay seats. “They won’t surrender their seats to MIC,” he remarked.
Azmil observed growing dissatisfaction among Indian voters with the Madani government, suggesting MIC might be positioning itself as more autonomous to capitalise on this sentiment.
Yet, he cautioned that this strategy offers no electoral advantage. “Multi-cornered contests would fragment votes and disadvantage MIC,” he said.
Earlier, Vigneswaran announced that MIC delegates at the annual convention in Shah Alam yesterday unanimously decided to postpone the final call on exiting BN to the central working committee and the party president.
He dismissed the idea of contesting alone, stating that MIC would only choose a new coalition if it withdraws from BN. He revealed that Anwar had counselled him to reconsider, noting MIC’s long history with BN.
MIC, MCA, and Umno formed the core of the pre-independence Alliance party, which evolved into Barisan Nasional in 1973.
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