Zahid says ‘storm in teacup’ over after MIC reps show up for Umno assembly

Zahid says ‘storm in teacup’ over after MIC reps show up for Umno assembly



MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M Saravanan (fourth left), MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong (centre), and Sabah People’s United Party president Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup (fourth right) attended the Umno 2025 annual general assembly at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur on January 16, 2026. — Bernama pic

Sunday, 18 Jan 2026 4:11 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 — The internal issue involving the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) appears to have eased, Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today, as he welcomed the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) back into the coalition.

According to Zahid, MIC demonstrated its loyalty to BN by sending senior leaders to Umno’s annual general assembly last week, even though the party has yet to formally weigh in on its internal dispute.

“During PAU, MIC was also represented by its deputy president. This morning, when we held the ‘pre-council’ with MP, senators, and assemblymen, MIC also attended,” he was quoted by Malay news outlet Harian Metro online as saying in a news conference after officiating the PPP’s assembly at the World Trade Centre here.

“This shows that the storm in a teacup has been resolved,” he added.

MIC has been a founding member of the Alliance Party with Umno and MCA since its early days, and remained on board when the coalition underwent a name change and expansion in 1973.

At its assembly last November, MIC delegates voted to leave BN.

But MIC president Tan Sri S A Vigneswaran said the three motions in favour of exiting BN was deferred.

PPP, a largely Indian party, has had a more chequered history.

It was a component of the Alliance Party and later on the BN, but split following Election 2018, due to internal conflicts.

PPP was also deregistered at one point, but made it back into the books in 2023.