KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 ― Barisan Nasional (BN) component MIC has now backtracked from its initial decision to join the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, its president Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran confirmed.

Speaking to Malay Mail, the former Senate president said his party arrived at the decision since Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) had also decided to not join the said coalition, ahead of a purported launch set for Merdeka Day next week.

"I was under the impression that Umno and BN will join PN, but when Umno gave a statement through the president that they are not joining, then the decision taken by MIC's central working committee (CWC) which was based on the fact that Umno and BN will join PN, is void.

"So since they are not joining, that decision cannot be used,” he said when contacted.

Vigneswaran said that the CWC must make another decision if it wants to join PN without Umno, as entry into the coalition is by individual parties.

"As it is now, we cannot be part of PN, with the decision taken by the CWC earlier,” he added.

Malay Mail had also sighted a letter by MIC's secretary-general, Datuk M. Asojan, to the Registrar of Societies (RoS), in which he explained that his party's CWC decision now cannot be used, owing to the decision change by Umno.

In May, two coalitions and four parties agreed to officially be part of PN, formerly an ad hoc arrangement to form a federal government.

The decision was announced in a joint statement by coalitions BN and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, PAS, Parti Bersatu Sabah and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR).

BN is formed of Umno, MCA, MIC and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah, while GPS include Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party.

However last month, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that Umno has decided not to be a component party of Perikatan Nasional if the coalition is formally registered, but said it would instead focus on developing the Muafakat Nasional partnership with PAS and other BN parties.

This morning, Malay Mail reported sources saying that Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was set to announce Perikatan Nasional (PN) as an official entity next week on the Merdeka Day, with Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali set to be named as its information chief.