KOTA BHARU: Perikatan Nasional has officially accepted MIC as a component party, offering the veteran ethnic-Indian party a "better role and position" within the coalition, claims Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan.
The Perikatan secretary-general announced that an official letter would be handed to MIC to formalise their entry.
According to Sinar Harian, he is scheduled to meet MIC president Tan Sri S.A. Vigneswaran in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday night (March 17) to clarify the decision.
"MIC was actually accepted earlier, in December 2025. However, the latest Perikatan meeting on March 14 confirmed the minutes of their acceptance as a member party under the coalition's new leadership," he told reporters on Tuesday.
Takiyuddin noted that Perikatan currently comprises four component parties: Bersatu, PAS, Gerakan, and the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP).
The inclusion of MIC would increase the total to five.
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Regarding MIC's current status within Barisan Nasional, Takiyuddin stressed that it was not Perikatan's concern.
"That is their issue. Once they applied to join Perikatan and we accepted that application, the matter is settled as far as we are concerned," he said.
He further revealed that three or four other parties have also applied to join the coalition, though no decisions have been made yet.
Takiyuddin said this expansion demonstrates that Perikatan is becoming more "open and inclusive."
He pointed out that while top positions were previously dominated by Bersatu and PAS, the leadership now includes representatives from Gerakan and MIPP.
"It is possible that MIC will also be given a significant role and position within Perikatan," he added.
According to Takiyuddin, Perikatan membership is categorised into three tiers: component parties, affiliate members (NGOs or friendly parties), and associate members (direct individual membership).
However, he noted that no parties from Sabah or Sarawak have applied to become Perikatan components so far.
