Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) is planning to form "strategic alliances" with political parties from other countries, including India's Congress
Party, a senior leader of the outfit said here on Friday.
S Vell Paari, youth wing adviser of MIC the largest ethnic Indian party in Malaysia, said the party would form alliances with political parties from other countries with a sizeable number of people of Indian origin.
"There are currently 25 million people of Indian origin spread over 130 countries. The MIC can and should play an active role in a borderless world," he said.
Paari, the son of MIC chief Samy Vellu, said he had held discussions with Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Narayanaswamy on forming an alliance with the Indian National Congress.
He said he would also invite Rahul Gandhi to Malaysia soon in his capacity as the general secretary of the Congress Party to address the Indian ethnic youths here.
He said Narayanasamy was "excited" with the proposal to have stronger links with the MIC, a statement issued by the party said.
"He (Narayanasamy) has asked that the MIC put the proposal in writing so that he could take it up with his Congress Party," Paari said.
Paari said through the MIC-Congress Party
cooperation, more joint ventures between Malaysian-Indian businessmen and their Indian counterparts could be worked out.
"There is enormous potential to be tapped with this cooperation, especially for the benefit of the Indian community in Malaysia. We can request for special treatment for Malaysian businessmen in Indian government contracts and
procurements, among others," he said.
Paari, who is also the Chairman of the MIC Unity and Community Development Committee, said he would seek the endorsement of the MIC CWC before holding further discussions with other leaders of the Congress Party.
He said his proposal to the MIC CWC would also include setting up of the party's representative office in Chennai in south India and national capital New Delhi.
Paari said the MIC had close ties with the
Congress Party before, especially at the beginning of the MIC's inception in 1946.
"In fact, it (MIC) was an overseas chapter of the Congress Party then (in 1946). So, we are actually re-establishing ties with the Congress Party but this time it is more for economic cooperation to benefit Malaysia,especially the Indian community," he said.