Thaindian News

Kuala Lumpur, Sep 22 (IANS) Many ethnic Indian voters who abandoned the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) during the March general election are now returning to the party, claims its long-time president S. Samy Vellu.”Hundreds of people” have started thronging the party’s offices, knowing that “only the MIC could help them”, Vellu told reporters Sunday after opening a workshop on what he calls “re-branding” of the party.

In the last elections, about 50 percent of the Indian community rejected the MIC and supported the opposition. Vellu lost his ninth bid at re-election and his party was reduced from 16 seats in parliament to three, the New Straits Times reported.

But now, the Indian community has realised that it needs to have a close relationship with the federal government through the MIC in order to improve its situation, Vellu said.

“They admit to having been confused and in disarray, that they were influenced into voting for the opposition but I tell them that it does not matter.

“When asked why they had come back looking for us, their answer was that the MIC has an administration, offices and an experienced leadership, and has continued looking after the people despite having lost in the elections,” he said.

MIC is part of the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) and has ministers in the government of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

“This is the reason why they are still interested in forging a relationship with the MIC,” he said.

Samy Vellu admitted that the MIC had erred in not using the Internet and electronic media to reach out to the Indian community during the elections.