KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma) says it will no longer submit an application to formally join Barisan Nasional as a component party.

Its president Datuk Seri Syed Ibrahim Kader said the decision was unanimously reached by the party leadership and grassroots members.

In his speech during Kimma’s general assembly on Saturday (Sept 2), Syed Ibrahim said an exception to the rule would be if Barisan extends an invitation to the Indian-Muslim party.

“For so long, our applications were not accepted and the reason given was that Barisan failed to reach a consensus (to allow Kimma to join Barisan).

“There’s a party that keeps blocking our application and until today, we are still waiting for an answer. But how long can we wait? As president, I am not sure how long we can keep doing this.

“Starting now, we will no longer submit any application to join BN as a component party. But, if Barisan invites us, we will accept it.

“This is the decision made, not by me, but by all of our members and this decision has been finalised by our supreme council,” he said to loud cheers in Dewan Tun Hussein Onn at the World Trade Centre here on Saturday.

Following the decision, Syed Ibrahim said Kimma has decided to focus on strengthening its position as an Umno affiliate party instead.

However, he said to date, there has been no clear indication that Kimma is fully accepted by Umno at state, division and branch levels.

Therefore, he urged Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to make an inclusive decision that won’t leave Kimma to struggle on its own.

“I understand you (Zahid) have to make many people happy but Kimma needs you to make an inclusive decision.

“We are drowning and we need our big brother Umno to save us. I don’t want the Indian Muslim community to be treated like a ball, being kicked around.

“Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had never neglected us. But now, many Indian Muslim children can’t even get an opportunity to study in universities.

“We would like to ask for a Kimma representative to be appointed as senator so that at the very least, there will be someone who can voice our issues to the government,” he added.