By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : “MIC – the New Generation Party,” is the new tagline for the Malaysian Indian Congress that wants to reinvent itself to be able to continue to speak for the country’s 2.6 million ethnic Indians.
Party chief S. Samy Vellu intends to re-brand the party after its dismal performance in the March 8 general election in which the party’s tally came down from 16 to three.
Vellu himself lost his ninth bid at re-election. He also lost the long-held ministership at the federal level.
A post-poll study said 69 percent ethnic Indians voted away from the MIC and the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN).
Although under severe attack for the party’s performance, Vellu says he is undaunted and will announce major changes in the party structure shortly.
The party’s central working committee is to meet here Thursday, the New Straits Times said.
He said the party would be holding road shows nationwide about its re-branding exercise.
“We aim to create new values, systems and working orders for the members.
“The MIC will need to reposition and remain politically viable,” he said, adding that re-branding was necessary to refresh the party’s image and position it better in people’s mind.
In a statement, he claimed that the new image would be of a more aggressive and strategically mobile political identity replacing the slow-moving traditional character of the party.
He said the MIC would hold workshops at branch level to enable party leaders to touch base with the grassroots.
“The MIC must be alert to the conditions of the ‘political market’ and have the ability not to simply inspire but to deliver,” Vellu was quoted by the newspaper.
He said the party needed to create a common sense of purpose and unified identity besides building members’ morale and pride.