Now, Perkasa claims Dyana Sofya’s mother was former women’s leader

(Malay Mail Online) – Yammy Samat — the mother of DAP’s Teluk Intan candidate Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud — was once the leader of Wiranita Perkasa, deputy president of the Malay rights group Datuk Abdul Rahman Bakar has confirmed.

According to Abdul Rahman, the Umno member was among the very first to join the Malay rights group following its formation in 2008 by president Datuk Ibrahim Ali.

“She was then appointed as head of Wiranita but only held the position for five months,” he was quoted as saying in by Malay language daily Sinar Harian on its website today.

“She left because she could not commit to the organisation after moving away from Perak.”

Yammy’s association to Perkasa arose when a photograph of her and Dyana flanking Ibrahim at a dinner feting Umno stalwart Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah was posted online.

Ibrahim, who is known to be close to the Gua Musang federal lawmaker popularly known as Ku Li, reportedly organised the dinner to celebrate the latter’s honorary doctorate from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) on March 10.

Ku Li, Ibrahim, and Dyana Sofya’s mother Yammy Samat had been in the Semangat 46 party that splintered from Umno during the Kelantan prince’s feud with then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The photograph was believed to have been posted by pro-Umno supporters to suggest Dyana Sofya’s association with the Malay rights group that is in frequent conflict with her DAP.

She later acknowledged the photograph but denied any formal ties with the group.

“Just because I’ve a photograph with him does not mean I agree with his ideology,” Dyana Sofya told a press conference at DAP’s operations centre in Teluk Intan on Tuesday.

“I disagree with his stance on being an extremist,” she added.

Perkasa began life in 2008 as a one-man pressure group on Malay rights but later grew in numbers and influence after its cause found traction with a largely-Umno audience.

The ubiquity of Umno members among its ranks also led to the perception that the group was an indirect outlet for the more conservative elements of the party.

Dyana will face Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong in a straight fight for Teluk Intan.

Mah won the Teluk Intan seat in 1999 and 2004, but lost to DAP’s M. Manogaran in 2008 with a 1,470-vote majority.

DAP’s Seah Leong Peng had defeated Mah in 2013 with a 7,313 majority before succumbing to advanced bladder cancer on May 1, this year.