Too many Indian political parties in Malaysia, says Najib
T K Letchumy Tamboo
December 14, 2014 12:15 MYT
December 14, 2014 12:15 MYT
NAJIB: There are so much more the Government can do for the Indian community if the political parties can unite. - File Photo
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has urged the various Indian political parties representing the community in the country, to unite for the rights and welfare of the Indians.
Najib said this is because there are simply too many Indian political parties representing the Indian community in the country.
“The root problem is that, there are too many political parties representing the Indian community. Indian community constitutes 7.5 per cent of the country’s population but there are more political parties representing them.
“If the parties can be consolidated, we can do more.
“I am a great advocate of consolidation of all the Indian political parties,” he said at the launch of the Indian Progressive Front’s (IPF) 22nd Annual General Meeting here, today.
However, Najib admitted that the consolidation is easier said than done.
Najib said so when answering IPF President Datuk M. Sambanthan’s request including the notion to include IPF as BN’s component parties.
Sambanthan also requested for a Senator post and a deputy minister post for the party’s members as well as a financial aid of RM5 million for the party.
Najib said he will think about how he can help the party as he realised that their ‘loyalty has not been awarded’.
“Give me time to consider what we can do for IPF,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sambanthan, in his speech, criticised MIC for putting itself forward as the only party that represents the Indian community in the country.
“Some people say MIC is enough for the Indians. If that is the principle that they go by, BN will be in trouble in the upcoming General Election.
“MIC said they can bring 80 per cent votes, but they only brought in 65 per cent votes.
“I promise if IPF is accepted as BN’s component party, we, together with Friends of BN will bring in 85 per cent votes to BN,” he said.
Apart from IPF, other parties that represents the Indians in MIC, Makkal Sakhti, Malaysian Indian United Party (MIUP) and People’s Progressive Party (PPP).