A proposal to merge all ethnic Indian parties under the Malaysian Indian Congress has been shot down by the Indian Progressive Front, even as two political fronts remained open to the idea.
Indian Progressive Front (IPF) president M Sambanthan said while his party was willing to help out the minority ethnic Indian community, it was difficult for him to envision dissolving the party for the sake of a merger.
"We can join Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) when it comes to solving problems faced by the community, but we have been struggling for the past 23 years and will not give up our own identity," Sambanthan said.
He, however, added that he would be open to meeting with MIC president G Palanivel to hear suggestions that the latter might have for the betterment of the Indian community.
Two political outfits, Malaysian Indian United Party (MUIP) and Makkal Sakti remained open to the idea of a merger.
Palanivel had stated yesterday that MIC would be initiating discussions with friendly Indian parties to discuss how it could collectively contribute towards the development and progress of the Indian community.
MUIP president S Nallakaruppan felt that MIC and other Indian ethnic parties should have joined together before the May 5 general elections in order to work as a team.
Makkal Sakti (MMSP) president R S Thanenthiran also welcomed MIC's move to include other Indian parties to discuss how to help the community.
On the possibility of merging with MIC, he said Palanivel's proposal had to prioritise the Indian community.
"There will be no point in dissolving MMSP and going back to square one where the Indians are left out," he said, stressing that the decision had to be beneficial to the people.
The merger proposal comes in the wake of a mediocre showing by the MIC, the country's largest ethnic Indian political party, and the sudden rise of the hitherto outlawed Hindraf.
Hindraf chairman Wayathamoorthy was appointed as Deputy minister in the prime ministers' department after he decided to support the ruling coalition of Barisan Nasional a month before the polls.
