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By Mihar Dias October 2025
It’s never a good look when your old friends stop inviting you to their parties. Especially when you used to run the guest list.
But that’s exactly what happened to Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi this week, when the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) politely — or perhaps pointedly — left him and his Barisan Nasional (BN) entourage off the invitation list for its annual general meeting. Sinar Daily
Zahid, ever the picture of calm under humiliation, told reporters that it was “nothing new” for parties to not invite others. Sinar Daily
MIC, in its trademark diplomatic fashion, said it only wanted to “focus on resolving internal problems.” Sinar Daily
Which, in political language, translates roughly to: “We’d rather spend one full day arguing among ourselves than endure five minutes listening to Zahid talk about BN unity.”
Once upon a time, BN was the political equivalent of a royal court — MIC, MCA, Gerakan, and a collection of smaller parties orbiting around Umno’s gravitational pull.
Now, it’s more like a WhatsApp group where nobody replies except the admin.
Zahid, to his credit, tried to take the moral high ground. “We must give them space,” he said magnanimously, as though MIC were a teenager in a rebellious phase and not a coalition partner quietly slipping out the back door. He even threw in a gentle warning: “Just don’t regret it later.” Sinar Daily
Regret? It’s hard to imagine MIC regretting much at this point. Their votes have long dried up, their influence has evaporated, and their partnership with BN is more ceremonial than strategic. If anything, they might be regretting not leaving earlier.
Zahid’s attempt to downplay the snub reveals the uncomfortable truth that BN is now more brand than brotherhood.
The grand coalition that once governed Malaysia for six decades is now reduced to a patchwork of parties trying to stay relevant in an era where Umno can’t even hold its own backyard without tripping over internal factions.
Meanwhile, MIC’s decision is as much a reflection of BN’s irrelevance as it is of MIC’s survival instinct.
Vigneswaran and company know that being seen too close to Zahid right now carries political radioactivity. After all, who wants to share a stage with a man whose coalition has been reduced to propping up another government rather than leading one?
So, MIC’s “internal meeting” excuse is the polite version of “we need space.” The breakup text that every jilted lover knows too well.
But Zahid, still ever the optimist — or perhaps ever the realist — said BN is open to whatever decision MIC makes.
He even reminded everyone that once upon a time BN had 14 component parties. The unspoken part, of course, is that most of them left.
In the end, Zahid’s response sounded less like leadership and more like resignation. “They will definitely make a wise decision,” he said, in that familiar tone of someone who knows the decision is already made — and not in his favour.Sinar Daily
The truth is, Zahid’s Barisan Nasional is no longer the coalition of equals it once claimed to be. It’s a fading relic that other parties now treat as optional.
The MIC snub wasn’t an isolated incident — it was a symptom of what BN has become: a coalition so weak that even its smallest partners feel confident enough to ignore it.
Once upon a time, Zahid would have been the guest of honour. Now, he’s the guest nobody bothers to invite — and perhaps worse, the one who pretends not to notice.
Maybe next year, Zahid should host his own AGM — just to make sure someone, anyone, shows up.
Mihar Dias (mihardias@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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