Perkasa is a Parasite Which Rides on UMNO’s Back
More than 60% of Perkasa membership are Umno members which means that the movement has not been able to attract the Malay community especially the fence sitters in a big way. Most of the urban Malays would find an association with Perkasa as regressive and racist.
Gavin Khoo, Malaysia Chronicle
Kudos to Nazri Aziz, Khairy Jamaluddin and other Umno leaders who are against the idea of working with Perkasa. Unfortunately, some hardliners in Umno are still stubborn in defending the racist movement, believing that an unholy liaison with Perkasa could win them more Malay voters.
However, it is a fact that Perkasa needs Umno more than the other way round. These hardliners may have misread the ground. Can Perkasa really win more Malay votes for Umno? There are several fallacies surrounding this belief:
1. More than 60% of Perkasa membership are Umno members which means that the movement has not been able to attract the Malay community especially the fence sitters in a big way. Most of the urban Malays would find an association with Perkasa as regressive and racist.
2. Perkasa needs an organisation like Umno to play its role as a Devil’s advocate. Without the support and a tacit association with Umno, it is not possible for Perkasa to play its role effectively. Perkasa needs Umno to be afraid of its ‘influence’. It is unlikely that the right wing organisation can get its way with both Pas and PKR. But the presence and association with Perkasa poisons Umno’s role and leadership in BN. Perkasa needs an organisation to threaten and Umno fits the bill.
3. Umno leader and Deputy Education Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi said right-wing group Perkasa was merely championing the people’s rights as spelt out in the constitution.
“In my view, Perkasa is not being provocative or encouraging people to hate each other unlike the outlawed Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).”
As an education deputy minister, Puad should be send back to school to learn the constitution and history of Malaya. Many groups are doing a far better job than Perkasa in championing the people’s rights as enshrined in the constitution. These organisations have been pushing for the recognition of indigenous people in Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsula Malaysia to be accepted and respected for their Bumiputera rights. Umno is only focusing on the Malays albeit not all Malays – only those who are well-connected or aligned to the party. Perkasa is doing a bad job even in standing up for the rights of common Malays.
