Perkasa declares ‘war’ with Gerakan
(MM) – Malay rights group Perkasa declared an open war today with Gerakan, warning the Barisan Nasional (BN) party that its members would not hesitate to campaign against its candidates if they insist on branding the NGO as an enemy of multi-racial Malaysia.
Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali said it was ridiculous for Gerakan to blame them for BN’s diminishing support from the non-Malays in the last two general elections, stressing that the problem had already existed even before Perkasa was formed.
“Perkasa was formed in September 2008, after the 12th General Election. When we [were] formed, Gerakan had already lost Penang and many other seats, so how can you use Perkasa as a punching bag for your loss?” he said at a press conference here.
Ibrahim said it was a folly for Gerakan to blame others for their poor showing in the national polls when the BN party itself was long-ridden with internal strife.
“They started this war, not Perkasa. If Gerakan continues to use Perkasa as a punching bag, then Perkasa will not support them in the polls.
“There are areas where Gerakan face DAP, so if Perkasa members want to vote for DAP, it is up to them,” he warned, though he added that the NGO are still strongly behind the ruling Barisan Nasional.
Yesterday, senior Gerakan leader Datuk Chang Ko Youn claimed that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had never supported Perkasa’s extremist politics despite having never openly admonished the Malay rights group.
Speaking at a press conference at the party’s annual congress, Chang claimed that in all of their “dealings” with Najib, the prime minister had repeatedly expressed his opposition to Perkasa’s communal agenda.
Chang also called on the Najib administration to reject all forms of extremist politics and singled out Perkasa as an enemy of multi-racial Malaysia.
Najib, who officially opened the congress, echoed Chang’s view that BN should reject racist politics.
Ibrahim today said that it was unfair for Gerakan to have dragged the prime minister into the fray, as it puts Najib at odds with the Malay and Bumiputera agenda that Perkasa claims to champion.
“They have put him in a difficult position. The PM is a Malay. If he were to say that he does not support Perkasa, it is akin to saying that he does not support the Malays,” he claimed.
Ibrahim said Gerakan, which he described as a splinter of BN partners MCA, should take a long hard look at itself and figure out the reasons behind their poor political fortunes.
“Perkasa’s stand is to support BN regardless of the party, but if you lose you need to study the reasons why and not accuse Perkasa of being the reason for your loss.
“Perkasa is an NGO. Whether the PM likes us or not, or whether Anwar or the opposition like us or not, we have nothing to do with these people. If there are good policies, we will support them, and likewise, we will oppose bad policies,” he said.
Critics have questioned Najib’s seriousness about reforms as his government was seen flip-flopping on several pledges including backtracking on his vow to open up the economy to more non-Malay participation and improve civil liberties.
Recently, the prime minister announced the return of the race-based affirmative action policy in the New Bumiputera Economic Empowerment Agenda and also introduced laws that would restore the state’s preventive powers in a move seen as pandering to conservative demands.
Analysts said Najib’s sudden hardline stand was merely aimed at averting a potential challenge to his position at the party polls but this reflected weak leadership and indecisiveness on his part, especially when forced to confront issues concerning Malaysia’s growing polarisation.
