KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 — After Umno, MIC has become the second Barisan Nasional component party to become "strange bedfellows” with PAS.

MIC Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran said the decision would strengthen the opposition bloc specifically in facing the Rantau by-election on April 13.

"For MIC to continue to be relevant and be a strong "vehicle” for the Indian community and in the interest of multi-racial harmony, we need to cooperate with PAS,” he told reporters after receiving a courtesy call from PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and its secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan at the MIC headquarters here today. 

The BN was booted out in the 14th general election last May after being in power since independence. MIC did dismally, winning just one parliamentary seat.

To give the Pakatan Harapan,which won GE14, Umno and PAS have forged a collaboration to take on the Pakatan Harapan coalition, which won GE14.

In the past, PAS, an ultra-religious Islamic party, had even branded Umno members who are Malays and Muslims as infidels. — Bernama