George Town: In a rare gesture, Penang Deputy Chief Minister II Prof Dr P.Ramasamy credited MIC for taking a definitive political stand by not joining Perikatan Nasional.
On his Facebook posting titled “May I Come – might not be apt for MIC anymore” Ramasamy also criticised Azmin Ali for creating numerous problems for Barisan Nasional’s component parties namely UMNO, MIC and MCA.
The following is the full text of his Facebook posting:
“If it is true that the MIC is opting out of PN, then there is a need to give some credit to the party for taking a definitive political stand.
It is obvious to the MIC that Bersatu is the biggest trouble maker especially in the hastily formed coalition of PN.
In particular, Azmin Ali the chief architect of the backdoor government of PN has created numerous problems for not only for the MIC but for Umno and MCA.
Bersatu might be allowed within the ranks of MN, this political convenience does not tell the general unhappiness of Umno with the PN coalition and Bersatu in particular.
Bersatu greedily mono-polising coveted ministerial and government posts have not gone well Umno despite the latter’s parliamentary strength.
UMNO will ditch Bersatu…
For Umno, it was a matter of time before they will have the opportunity to ditch Bersatu and PN once and for all.
The worst part of the performance of Bersatu and in particular some of their leaders like Azmin is how they trying to sideline smaller parties like the MIC and MCA.
I understand that the MIC is infuriated when Azmin sidelined the party members from being appointed to some government posts.
The minimal bargain and compromise that was evident in the BN are not available in PN.
Matters got much heated up recently when there was a call from Bersatu’s Youth Chief Wan Fahysal for the removal of vernacular schools in the country as their presence thwarted attempts at national unity.
The rather reticent MIC leader and Minister of Human Resources M. Saravanan blasted the youth leader for calling for the abolition. Tamil schools are a sensitive matter for the MIC as well as for the Indian community.
Whether it is true or not, MIC always takes the credit for fighting for Tamil schools but refuses to admit why there only 523 Tamil schools in the country from the earlier strength of more than thousand schools.
Yes, in the past, some Umno leaders have made unsavory comments on vernacular perhaps not to the extent of calling for their abolition. But then given the MIC’s servile relationship with Umno, such remarks were allowed to go without being challenged.
It was not that the MIC, given its structural weakness in the BN coalition, had the courage to oppose as its survival in the government was regarded as the top priority.
But this time around, MIC is not prepared to accept the unsavory remarks of Wan Fahysal unchallenged nor the nefarious sidelining efforts of Azmin.
While the MIC President Vigneswaran is getting used to making palatable remarks not to please and humour PN coalition leaders, Saravanan has certainly shown more grit in taking on Bersatu leaders.
There are already rumours floating around saying that Saravanan might be a more effective MIC leader.
So, when the crunch comes, it would be forgone conclusion that MIC, MCA, Umno and PAS would certainly ditch Bersatu or even PN.
Leaders like Azmin might think that he can get away with things just because he has the confidence of the Prime Minister Muhyiddin as he has been clandestinely anointed as the number two man in the government.
But things change, they certainly change under volatile political conditions.
I can certainly hear the distant war drums coming from the BN parties to ditch Bersatu if not PN.
But this time around, MIC might not be a mere passenger to say “May I Come”.
