SHAH ALAM: MIC president Tan Sri S.A. Vigneswaran says the party will continue supporting the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim until the end of his mandate, regardless of any political decisions the party may subsequently take.
He said delegates at the party's 79th Annual General Assembly on Sunday (Nov 16) also gave him and the party’s Central Working Committee (CWC) the mandate to decide on the party's future direction, including studying the resolution passed to leave Barisan Nasional before determining the next course of action.
"For five years we have assured that we will give our full support to the Prime Minister, and that will continue," he told a press conference after winding up the delegates' debate at the assembly, held at the Ideal Convention Centre (IDCC) here.
"We are still firm in giving support to him (Anwar) for the next two years. We keep our word. We are not with any other party.
Vigneswaran said he had also explained to Anwar the constraints and challenges faced by MIC, stressing that these issues did not stem from Pakatan Harapan.
He said MIC has not decided to join any political coalition, and a formal decision on leaving BN has yet to be finalised.
"Today, the power to decide MIC's direction and the steps the party should take has been entrusted to the leadership. We will discuss with the relevant parties moving forward," he said.
Earlier, MIC delegates unanimously supported the resolution to quit Barisan and left it to the leadership to determine the appropriate timing to do so and explore new political alignments.
Vigneswaran said he had met with Anwar on Friday to discuss MIC's situation within BN.
He said the prime minister was receptive and understood the position and dilemmas faced by the party.
Vigneswaran added that the party's actions are not driven solely by political motives, but by the need to ensure that any power-sharing arrangement is grounded in dignity and principle.
Responding to a question on whether he had met Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to discuss the possibility of MIC leaving the coalition, Vigneswaran said no such meeting had taken place. - Bernama
