GE15: Kimma to contest for first time, says loyalty to BN rewarded

GEORGE TOWN: The Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma) is set to contest for the first time in the upcoming 15th General Election (GE15).

Its president Datuk Seri Syed Ibrahim Kader (pic) said the party would be getting a parliamentary seat at the federal level.

Syed Ibrahim said after years of being considered as “Friends of BN”, this is the first time the party has been given a chance to contest in the general election.

"I have been told that the Barisan Nasional leadership has agreed to give us a seat to contest in the 15th General Election,” he said in his opening speech during the launch of the state-level Kimma election machinery at the Tanjung Umno division headquarters here on Friday (Oct 14).

He said the Barisan leadership had not decided which seats to contest but added that the coalition had agreed to give a safe seat to the party.

Syed Ibrahim, who is also the state party chairman, said he is happy that finally, the Barisan leadership recognised their friendship and ties after 13 years as an Umno associate member.

"We have been here in the country's political landscape for 46 years.

"And when Barisan faces trouble, we stick with them, we didn't abandon them, and now, our loyalty has been recognised," he said.

Also present during the event were state Barisan chairman Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir, state MIC chairman Datuk J. Dhinagaran and other Barisan leaders.