Is Perkasa preparing for GE14 to rival Umno?
(The Ant Daily) – Ibrahim believes that Perkasa is evolving into a viable third political voice for the right wingers and older Malays, who feel that their place in the country is being threatened by a liberalised movement sparked by the two-party system that took root in 2008.
Is the Malay rights group Perkasa transforming itself into a political party for the 14th General Election (GE14)?
When this question was posed to Perkasa founder and president Datuk Ibrahim Ali, his instantaneous reply was “not for now”.
Ibrahim maintained his contention that Perkasa is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) formed to champion the Bumiputeras’ special rights under the Federal Constitution.
It was not established to function as a political party “for now”, he added.
However, there is every reason to suspect the opposite may be happening.
Last year, Ibrahim defended his Pasir Mas parliamentary seat in GE13, but only after he had vacated his Perkasa post.
Ibrahim lost to PAS strongman Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat’s son Nik Abduh, one of the young clerics in the Islamist party, but he remains unfazed.
Since then, Ibrahim was coaxed by his supporters to resume his Perkasa post and is now actively expanding the movement’s reach.
In a turbulent political scene where both Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat seem to have unnerved a sizeable number of voters, a political creature like Ibrahim might just exploit the situation.
Ibrahim believes that Perkasa is evolving into a viable third political voice for the right wingers and older Malays, who feel that their place in the country is being threatened by a liberalised movement sparked by the two-party system that took root in 2008.
Ibrahim acknowledges that BN is now weak, particularly in the cities, because of the wide perception that its economic policies have led to a record high in living costs.
Pakatan is not doing itself any favour. It has alienated its own supporters by indulging in a maze of politicking, instead of helping the people cope with the rising living costs in times of economic uncertainty.
Ibrahim claimed that the PKR move to force a by-election in Kajang smacks of a combination of arrogance and ignorance to the plight of the people.
“I will not join the Ibrahim crowd in Kajang,” he said in reference to the fact that Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will stand on the PKR ticket and former de facto Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim had offered to stand as an
Independent there.
The bigger picture for Ibrahim is that the people are turning to groups such as Perkasa for answers to their woes when both BN and Pakatan can no longer provide the solutions.
This writer remembers Ibrahim vividly in 2004, when BN was enjoying an over-the-top victory in the polls when voters bought into then premier Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s slogan “work with me, not for me”.
Months later, it was this famous Kelantanese son who fought Umno in the Pengkalan Pasir state by-election in the state.
Ibrahim has taken on the entire lot, from royalty to his mentor Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah to his admirer Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and Anwar since he began his role as a student leader in the then Institute Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in the 1970s.
He is a rebel foremost, “but not without a cause”.
Ibrahim likes to think he is championing what the people want, and since he is representing the Malay right wingers, they want a total preservation of the constitution and a recognition that Malays do enjoy special rights.
He may yet galvanise Perkasa into a potent force.
Perkasa claims a nationwide membership of some 500,000, half of whom come from Sabah, a key battleground state in the next election.
