New Party Announced in Malaysia to Represent Indian Muslims

A businessman in Malaysia has announced the launch of a new political party named “Parti India Muslim Bersatu Malaysia” (PIBM) with an aim to strengthen unity among members of the Indian Muslim community in the country and give the group a political platform for its representation.

Datuk Jamarul Khan M.S. Kadir, the President of PIBM, said on Sept.21 that he has formed the new party because there was no forum for the community to raise its issues since the 14th general elections in Malaysia.  

“Yes, there is the Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma), but the whole political scenario changed after GE14. There is a vacuum for the Indian Muslim community to work with the new government,” the Star quoted Kadir as saying.  

Khan addressed a media conference on the formation of PIBM, and said that the voice of the Indian Muslim community should be raised by its own members, Malaymail reported. 

“We feel the time has come for the political voice of the Indian Muslim community in the country be expressed by its own leaders,” he said. 

He added that an application was submitted to the Registrar of Societies (RoS) on Aug. 23 and the approval is awaited. After the approval from the RoS, a grand launch ceremony of the party would be organized. 

The party aims to recruit 5,000 members within three months, Khan told the media. 

When asked about the possibility of an alliance with the Pakatan Harapan government, the party’s head of strategy and information Ariff Farhan said that PIBM will be an independent party. However, he added that it would be friendly to the Pakatan Harapan government and other parties which work for interests of all Malaysians. 

Khan, who is also the President of the Malaysian Indian Muslim Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Mimcoin), said that there are 800,000 Indian Muslims in Malaysia. The party will uphold the dignity of the Indian Muslim community in the country, he added, New Straits Times reported. 

Earlier this month, Malaysian leader and Hindu activist P. Waytha Moorthy had announced that he is going to launch a new political party named Malaysian Advancement Party (MAP), which would aim to protect, promote and advance the interest of the Indian community.