Leadership crisis hits Malaysia's largest ethnic Indian party

KUALA LUMPUR: The head of Malaysia's largest ethnic Indian party which is a vital component of the country's ruling coalition has proposed that fresh elections be held for all posts to resolve the mounting leadership crisis confronting the beleaguered party.

President of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), G Palanivel said he will discuss the proposal with Prime Minister Najib Razak to get his opinion.

"I will also meet the Registrar of Societies to discuss the issue. A fresh party election is a better solution to the crisis. After all, this is what all sides want," he said.

He said a fresh election will solve the crisis once and for all and MIC members can then concentrate on strengthening the party.

"I hope the fresh election will start in June at the branch level before the division level and the annual general meeting. The election will involve all posts," said Palanivel.

The ugly crisis plaguing the MIC has prompted ruling coalition party Barisan Nasional's chairman Najib and his deputy to step in to solve the issue plaguing its vital coalition partner.

Barisan deputy chairman Muhyiddin Yassin said they had to meet MIC's top leadership and discuss the next course of action for the party "to protect the image of the coalition".

"With the current situation, it seems that if we do not interfere, things will go out of control. We will meet with them and take the next action within the MIC constitution," he said last week.

Malaysia's 28 million population comprises eight per cent ethnic Indians.

The MIC is an ethnic Indian party which is a part of the ruling coalition of Barisan Nasional.

However, MIC has for several years now been blamed for not taking up the problems of the minority community and not doing enough to uplift the ethnic Indian population.