KLANG, April 2 — Barisan Nasional (BN) must be prepared to face the 15th General Election (GE15) as an opposition party if Umno remains firm in its decision not to cooperate with Bersatu.

MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan said that BN component parties had no experience in facing the general election (GE) as an opposition bloc.

"We may not be allowed to carry out campaigns in a hall at the GE. Are we ready? We need to study all the possibilities that we will face before making any decision,” he told reporters after officiating the National MIC Youth, Women, Putera and Puteri Convention, here today.

Saravanan also said that MIC has yet to decide on the party’s stance for the GE15, even though Umno has made its decision on the matter.

He said the decision on the party’s stance would only be made after listening to the voices of MIC delegates and assessing the current situation in the country.

He added that it was up to the delegates to decide whether to follow Umno’s lead in severing ties with Bersatu or make their own decision in the GE15.

It was reported that Umno has decided not to cooperate with Bersatu in the coming GE15.

Earlier, in his speech at the convention, Saravanan said political parties in the country should not only listen to the aspirations of their grassroots, but also the people as a whole.

The Tapah member of Parliament said that MIC lost most of the parliamentary seats it contested in the 14th General Election because it only focused on the aspirations of the party’s grassroots.

A total of 400 delegates attended the convention virtually while some 400 delegates were present physically at the hall.

Also present was Umno Youth chief Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.

Meanwhile, Asyraf Wajdi said BN would not sideline any of its component party including MIC in the GE15.

"The BN Youth will give its full support to whoever is chosen as our candidates. Malaysia belongs to all including Chinese, Indian, Malay, Kadazan and Dusun,” he said in his speech at the convention.

He said that BN model which encompassed the pluralism of a multiracial society has created national stability and guaranteed the people to live in harmony and respect each other, regardless of religion or race. — Bernama