PN leadership will decide
which party to lead in
Penang, MIPP told
Bersatu associate wing vice-chief R Sri Sanjeevan says it’s too early to say the Malaysian Indian People’s Party should lead the coalition’s machinery in Penang.
The wing’s vice-chief R Sri Sanjeevan said Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) president P Punithan was only giving a suggestion when he expressed his party’s willingness to lead the coalition in the state, in a statement yesterday.
“It’s too soon to say that MIPP will lead in Penang. This matter must be discussed in a PN presidential council meeting.
“PN makes decisions collectively. It’s not appropriate for any specific party to claim leadership because the coalition comprises Bersatu, PAS, Gerakan, and MIPP,” he told FMT.
“By principle, the state leader is chosen and agreed upon collectively by PN’s component parties. Even at the grassroots level, we campaign under the PN banner, not the respective party symbols.”
Punithan, who is also the PN deputy chairman, had said MIPP is open to discussions about assuming a leadership role in the Penang chapter following a report that the coalition plans to focus on Malay and Indian voters to secure a slim majority in the next state election.
FMT previously quoted a source as saying that PN acknowledges the struggle to capture Chinese voters in Penang, as its component Gerakan has struggled to gain their support in recent elections.
On the other hand, the source said the opposition coalition had noted a discernible shift in support among Penang’s Indian community, particularly at the Sungai Bakap by-election in July 2024.
Meanwhile, Gerakan information chief Wendy Subramaniam expressed hope that MIPP would support her party in leading PN’s Penang machinery, highlighting that PAS and Bersatu already acknowledge Gerakan’s contributions to the state’s development in the past.
Commenting further, Sanjeevan said all PN components must work together to strengthen Gerakan if the coalition aims to win more states, including Penang, and eventually take over the federal government.
“It’s unfair to say that Gerakan has failed or lost its influence because Gerakan is part of PN. We must move forward collectively. If Gerakan doesn’t succeed, it represents a failure for PN as a whole.
“If any component party falls behind, it’s our responsibility to help them catch up,” he said.
They should bring in Alpha Leader Palani Ramasamy
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