We’ll support government as long as it defends Malay rights, says Perkasa

(The Malaysian Insider) – Malay rights group Perkasa has pledged to support the government as long as it defended the rights of the Malays and the Bumiputera in the face of growing threats from “racists and non-Bumiputra groups”.

Its president, Datuk Ibrahim Ali, warned that some non-Bumiputeras were out to erode the status and rights of the Bumiputeras, which had been enshrined in the Constitution.

“Perkasa is disappointed that there is a group of racist and chauvinist non-Bumiputeras who dare to question and politicise the Bumiputera special rights enshrined in the Constitution.

“Such acts are akin to disrespecting the Constitution and can cause tensions between Bumiputeras and non-Bumiputeras,” he said while launching the group’s London chapter today.

The London branch is led by businessman Kamal A. Mohamad and has 253 members.

Also present were blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, MIC UK Club president R. Depan and his MCA counterpart Zeon Cheong Sze Keat.

Raja Petra is not a Perkasa member.

Ibrahim said groups questioning Bumiputera rights should realise that it would have a negative chain reaction and detrimental to non-Bumiputeras in the country.

“If the core race is threatened, then non-Bumiputeras will be, too… if the core race is betrayed, then both Bumiputeras and non-Bumipteras will suffer,” he said. The speech was emailed to The Malaysian Insider today.

Ibrahim said Perkasa would continue to support the country’s leaders as long as the leadership and civil service fulfilled their promise to defend the Federal Constitution and ensured the agenda to empower Malays and Bumiputeras was continued.

The setting up of its first overseas branch was aimed at providing a defence against pluralism and liberalism that goes against Malaysian culture.

Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hasan Syed Ali had previously announced the group was spreading its wings abroad in response to requests from Malays, who have rejected political organisations like Umno.

Umno’s Overseas Club has 72 branches in 18 countries with a total of 14,000 members.

More branches are expected to be set up in Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia and Australia. – June 2, 2014.