KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 — MIC president Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran said the party would work with Makkal Sakti to strengthen the direction and address the problems of the Indian community in the country.

He said the party’s top leadership had agreed to the collaboration and there would be a joint press conference to elaborate on the matter.

"MIC and Makkal Sakti will work together to ensure the problems of the Indian community become the priority of the parties representing the community and the government,” he told reporters after chairing the party’s Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting.

Meanwhile, Vigneswaran said MIC has asked the Ministry of Communications and Digital to prevent access and screening of films associated with a minister from Tamil Nadu, India, following his recent comments on the sensitivity of Hinduism.

He said the party would hold a peaceful rally in front of the Indian Embassy on September 29 after Friday prayers to submit a memorandum objecting to the minister’s remarks.

In another press conference regarding the cooperation between the two parties tonight at Menara Dato Onn, Makkal Sakti president Datuk Seri RS Thanenthiran said the party and MIC would establish a secretariat to help the Indian community in the country.

He said the establishment of the secretariat was also important to respond to the recommendations of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who wished to see the people unite.

"What the prime minister suggested should start here (cooperation between MIC and Makkal Sakti), we as leaders have seen the racial polarisation and this will harm the development of the country. Therefore, we have agreed to establish a secretariat to find a strategy to unify the people and develop the nation,” he said in the press conference which was also attended by Vigneswaran.

However, Thanenthiran said his party and MIC had yet to decide on a name for the secretariat.

Commenting on the party’s cooperation with MIC, he said it was also to help strengthen Barisan Nasional (BN) in facing the next General Election (GE).

Meanwhile, Vigneswaran said through the collaboration, his side would find a new strategy to bring back the glory days of BN

"This cooperation is not only to help the Indian community, we want to make sure that we can win seats in the GE,” he said. — Bernama