Malaysian Indian Congress must hold fresh polls in Malaysia: Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's largest ethnic Indian political party has been ordered to hold fresh elections for all posts by July or face the risk of being deregistered, the country's Home Minister said today.

Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that the 2009 central working committee (CWC) elected members of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) would be the interim panel until the election process had been carried out.

The all-encompassing re-election was necessary to resolve the infighting in the party amicably, he said.

In December last year, the Registrar of Societies (RoS) had directed MIC to hold re-elections for three vice-president and 23 CWC posts within 90 days.

Since then ugly leadership wars have plagued the party. The RoS had also advised against the party holding its annual general meeting until the issue was settled.

Elections at branch level would be held in April, for president in May, for division in June, women and youth from April to June and deputy president, CWC committee and vice presidents as well as annual general meeting in July.

"Only branches that are formed before 2013 are allowed to take in the party elections," he told reporters.

He said the cleanup process must be conducted to ensure the validity of the branches involved, with the list needing to be presented to the Registrar of Societies (RoS) within 14 days from February 6.

Ruling Barisan Nasional chairman and prime minister Najib Tun Razak had said on February 4 that MIC would conduct re-elections to resolve issues affecting the party.