KUALA LUMPUR – MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan has accused UMNO of sidelining coalition partners and betraying Barisan Nasional (BN) trust, in a sharp response to advice from UMNO deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
Mohamad, or Tok Mat, had earlier urged MIC leaders to raise grievances within the BN Supreme Council rather than through public statements, warning that comments made outside could be misunderstood and risk undermining coalition harmony.
But Saravanan said Tok Mat’s reminder was misplaced, pointing to a series of decisions allegedly made without consensus in BN.
“With respect, Tok Mat’s memory appears rather selective,” he said in a statement today.
“If crucial matters are never tabled, and if decisions made in the meeting are never enforced, then what value are these meetings Tok Mat is suddenly defending?”
Saravanan cited several examples where he claimed UMNO acted unilaterally, including Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s post-election letter to the Palace backing Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister, allegedly without BN Supreme Council approval, as well as seat allocations during the six state elections, which he said denied MIC and MCA additional seats without discussion.
The Tapah MP also said that Cabinet appointments after GE15 were never tabled or discussed at the BN Supreme Council.
He also pointed to the appointment of Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani as minister in the Cabinet reshuffle, which he claimed was never deliberated within BN, and the handling of the “Najib addendum” case, where he said the coalition failed to take a stand.
He also recalled that after the 15th general election, three of BN’s four component parties had agreed Zahid should step down as chairman and be replaced by Tok Mat, who later stayed silent.
“At critical junctures, he appeared helpless and uncertain, caught in the rumble of internal party conflicts. To now turn around and lecture MIC on ‘speaking up’… is not only unfair, but deeply ironic,” Saravanan said.
MIC, he added, had “always spoken up firmly, consistently, and with principle”, while the real problem lay in UMNO’s handling of coalition trust.
The exchange comes amid speculation over MIC’s future in BN. Four of its state liaison committees have reportedly passed resolutions to leave the coalition, after leaders accused Zahid of failing to honour a promise of cabinet positions in return for supporting Anwar’s premiership.
Tok Mat, however, has insisted that MIC should remain within BN, stressing the party’s role in nation-building since before independence.
“If you have views, speak up… don’t bottle them up during meetings but then say something else outside, that’s not good,” he told reporters on Saturday.
Saravanan ended his statement with a pointed remark: “Honestly, when I see this sudden concern about ‘discussing at BN meetings,’ I don’t know whether to cry or laugh. Still, let the record show: MIC will never remain silent when the dignity of our community and the principles of coalition politics are at stake.” — September 7, 2025