Indian-based parties under BN should merge - Tengku Adnan

All Indian-based political parties under the Barisan Nasional (BN) umbrella should merge into a single entity in the best interest of the Indian community in the country.

BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said it was no use for the numerous parties to compete with each other, when what they should be doing was working together to formulate the best policy to ensure better future and to achieve the aspiration of the Indian community more effectively.

"I would like to call on those parties, namely Makkal Sakti, MIC, Malaysian Indian United Party (MIUP), Indian Progressive Front (IPF) and the People's Progressive Party (PPP) to merge so that they will become a stronger entity.

"Why should they go on separate ways? Why create different parties to fight the same cause?...Maybe they need to analyse or convene a meeting to find solution to this problem," he said when opening the 5th Malaysian Makkal Sakti Party delegation meeting here yesterday.

Tengku Adnan, who is Federal Territories Minister, said the merging of the parties was vital for the BN, especially after only 48 per cent support were garnered from the Indian community in the last general election.

"We want to increase the percentage of support for BN from the Indian community to between 60 to 70 per cent...so, if we continue going separate ways, the target will be out of reach," he said.

Tengku Adnan said MIC, as the most senior party, should be open for suggestions and should analyse why too many Indian-based parties were being established.

"Something must have gone wrong and MIC needs to rectify it. Why are there so many rejections, is it because of the party leadership or policies? How do we get all these parties to work together to help the Indian community?" he said.

Meanwhile, Makkal Sakti president Datuk R.S Thanenthiran lauded Tengku Adnan's call, but insisted that all party leaders should agree to compromise and be prepared to step down.

"I hope it will come true...the re-engineered merging parties can use a new name to fight for a better future for the Indians.

"However, it should not use MIC's name because even though it's a senior party, it has seen some rejections from the Indian community...the new party needs more dynamic leaders to restore the people's faith," he said.