SHAH ALAM: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has reminded MIC to focus on serving the people to gain support from the Indian community.

Najib said leaders of the Barisan Nasional component must focus on serving the people as the rakyat are the ones who holds the true power.

“MIC and its branches at all level must be more active. You must serve the people instead of just defending our positions in the party.

“The party is meaningless if it does not hold any power, and the power comes from the people.

“This is why I hope that we must all be humble and be close to the rakyat.

If we help those in need, they will remember what we have done for them,” he said during the National Ponggal Celebration organised by MIC at the Advanced Technology Training Centre in Kota Kemuning here tonight.

The event was attended by over 3,000 people from the Indian community.

Najib also reminded MIC leaders to also serve other communities as BN is a party for all.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

Also present were MIC president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam, his deputy Datuk Seri S.K. Devamany, Senate president Datuk Seri S. A. Vigneswaran, and Housing, Urban Wellbeing and Local Government minister Tan Sri Noh Omar, among others.

Earlier, Subramaniam, who is also Heath Minister, branded Najib as Bapa Pembangunan (father of development) for the Indian community.

He said Najib has contributed greatly towards the development of the Indians since he became the prime minister in 2009 compared to the other premiers.

“Najib has initiated many programmes for the Indian community, even the longest serving PM’s contributions is only a small percentage to what Najib has done,” he said, referring to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.-nst