Perkasa not a positive force, says Khairy

(New Straits Times) – Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin yesterday said Malay rights group Perkasa was detrimental to efforts to achieve 1Malaysia.

He said this was because its leaders were always pitting Barisan Nasional component parties against one another.

“Perkasa, in principle, is good but its president, Datuk Ibrahim Ali, would sometimes go overboard and resort to arguing. This includes pitting Barisan Nasional component parties against one another.

“This is dangerous for us to achieve the noble objectives of 1Malaysia,” he said after opening the Kuala Kedah Wanita Umno delegates’ conference here yesterday.

Khairy, who is also MP for Rembau, said Perkasa was detrimental to 1Malaysia and that the vision mooted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak would not gamble away Malay rights as they would always be safeguarded and guaranteed.

“He (Ibrahim) likes to dare others and attack them to the point of pitting BN component parties against one another.”

“However, on certain issues like football betting, he prefers to keep quiet.”

Khairy was responding to questions on the recent argument between Ibrahim and Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong over scholarships offered by Mara and the Public Service Department.

Ibrahim had said that Wee had questioned Malay rights when he asked about the scholarships but Khairy had defended the deputy minister.

Ibrahim subsequently challenged Khairy to resign for taking Wee’s side.

Khairy said Ibrahim had no right to challenge him to resign.

“Who is he to say that to me?” he asked.

“He is not even an Umno member or a voter in Rembau.”