CONFUSION IN UMNO: Saying Hello and Goodbye to Perkasa and Ibrahim Ali from UMNO-BN

DPM Muhyiddin Says "HELLO and Yes",
Minister Nazri Aziz Says," GOOD BYE and NO"



Say HELLO to Perkasa and Ibrahim Ali:

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today that anyone was free to form an association, including Chinese or Indian versions of the Malay rights group, Perkasa.

“We can have Chinese Perkasa and even Indian Perkasa. The government does not stop anyone from forming a body” he said today.

He said that it was an individual’s right to form an association and it was acceptable as long as it was formed with good intentions.

Muhyiddin was responding to reports quoting MCA vice president Datuk Donald Lim as suggesting the formation of a “Chinese Perkasa” in response to the Malay rights group’s strident rhetoric and race-based demands.

Perkasa has grown from a one-man cause to include thousands of Malays who feel disaffected by proposed economic reforms that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak wants to use to turn Malaysia into a high-income nation for a plural society.

It has managed to influence Najib into continuing with an affirmative action policy for Bumiputeras, despite having signalled that his New Economic Model (NEM) is for all Malaysians, under his 1 Malaysia concept.

Ibrahim has used Perkasa to form an umbrella body called the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) and has received the support of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Perkasa’s demands for what it says are Malay rights has caused unease among some non-Malays, as well as moderate and liberal Malays who see the group as racist.

Muhyiddin said today Perkasa was not funded by Umno, but by independent Pasir Mas MP Ibrahim Ali, who “might want to fight for Malay rights”. Read here for more


Say GOOD-BYE to Perkasa and Ibrahim Ali

The Barisan Nasional issued a clear signal today of its disassociation from Perkasa when Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz declared that the Umno did not support or recognise the Malay rights group.

The minister in the prime minister’s department said Umno was against any form of racism and that Perkasa’s ideals did not fit the Najib administration’s focus on plurality and unity.

“We should get rid of Perkasa. Why do I say that? Because Perkasa is not in line with Datuk Seri Najib (Razak’s) 1 Malaysia concept,” Nazri told The Malaysian Insider.

“We (are) against any form of racism and Perkasa certainly doesn’t belong or [is] supported by Umno,” said Nazri. Read here for more

Nazri said the suggestion to establish a Chinese equivalent of Malay rights pressure group Perkasa would only cause racial tension among the Malays and Chinese at a time when the government is trying to defuse this.

"We want to get rid of Perkasa and (yet) he wants to (encourage) extremism," said Nazri, when approached by reporters in the Parliament lobby today.

"What about that extremist Indian group? Let's also form Kadazan extremist groups, Iban and (others). Let's all fight-lah, if that is what (Lim) wants.”

On former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad's suggestion that Umno should engage Perkasa leaders more, Nazri pointed out that the BN does not represent Malays only.

Nazri said,

“Who are the citizens of this country? Are they all Malays? There are non-Malays as well. (Does he mean) that you people have no say at all? That you are a second-class citizen?

That will be the case if you agree with his (Mahathir's) statement. No! We cannot tolerate this (kind of position even if it comes) from the former prime minister or anyone else.

This is a multi-racial country.

For a leader to say that we need to engage more Malays, what are you trying to say exactly? Are you trying to say the non-Malays are not an important component of our country? I think that's unacceptable.”

Nazri also warned that the government will take action against Perkasa if it makes seditious statements.

In this regard, he encouraged all citizens who feel that Perkasa is a threat to the country, to lodge a police report. Read here for more in Malaysiakini


.... AND IBRAHIM ALI SAYS:

Datuk Ibrahim Ali traded verbal blows with Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz over his jibe against Perkasa, saying that it was the minister who should be gotten rid of if Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) wanted to retain the people’s support.

In a text message to The Malaysian Insider this afternoon, the Perkasa president said Nazri’s statement had come from “someone who has LOST the ability to think”.

The outspoken independent Pasir Mas MP said that Perkasa was just a non-governmental organisation and had nothing to lose.He added:

“His (Nazri) statement is not worth entertaining as it has no value and it is a waste of time.

So, get rid of Nazri if Umno and BN wants to retain the support of the people.”

The fiery politician went on to deride the minister’s remarks as bringing “no value to BN”, before adding that Nazri would ultimately “make the Malays hate Umno more.”

Nazri is the first Umno leader who has issued such a strong statement against Perkasa, indicating that BN did not support or recognise the non-governmental organisation.

“We do not listen to just one person (Nazri). Perkasa members have the right to decide the way forward,” Ibrahim added. Perkasa’s popularity, he claimed, was also growing as it has now received membership forms from more than 200,000 people.

He even cheekily added “goodbye, Datuk Nazri” in his statement, indicating that the call from the minister in the prime minister’s department had done nothing to threaten him. Read here for more


And Finally Prime Minister NAJIB Says......