MIC among parties for PN registration, says Zahid

(FMT) – Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has confirmed that BN component party MIC is one of the parties that will be part of the Perikatan Nasional coalition.

Apart from MIC, the other parties listed for PN’s registration as a formal coalition include PPBM, PAS and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR).

“Thus far, from the information I have obtained, MIC has become one of the parties that registered to become part of PN. This is not a problem as PN has to be registered,” Bernama quoted him as saying.

However, Umno and Barisan Nasional members would still use the coalition’s ‘dacing’ (weighing scale) symbol for their candidates contesting the next general election, he told reporters.

Earlier today, PPBM member Mohamed Azmin Ali had said that five parties were registered with the Registrar of Societies as being part of the PN coalition, including PPBM and PAS. He did not mention the other three parties.

Earlier this month, Zahid had announced that Umno would not become part of the PN coalition. The party currently has an alliance with PAS, called Muafakat Nasional. Earlier this week, PPBM was accepted as a member of the alliance.

Zahid was here on an election campaign visit to the Indian Progressive Front (IPF) operations room in Kampung Baru, Slim River.

A by-election for the Slim state constituency is being held on Aug 29 to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Mohd Khusairi Abdul Talib of Umno, who had held the seat for four terms.

An Umno candidate, Mohd Zaidi Aziz, is being fielded by BN at the by-election. His rivals are two independent candidates: Amir Khusyairi Mohd Tanusi, who is fielded by Pejuang, a new party formed by Dr Mahathir Mohamad; and Santharasekaran Subramaniam.