‘Umno outsourcing racism to Perkasa’

Humayun Kabir

An opposition leader claims that Umno is the hidden hand behind Perkasa, which has been tasked with raising racial issues.

TAIPING: Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) alleged that Umno, after coming under pressure from its Barisan Nasional component parties, has outsourced its racist agenda to Perkasa.

PSM leader and Sungai Siput MP Dr D Jeyakumar recalled how former Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussein once held and kissed the keris, uttering seditious words against the Chinese community.

Jeyakumar said this did not go down well with the non-Malays, and many turned their backs on BN.

“Now Umno is outsourcing this kind of racist posturing to Parkasa which is totally outside the party to hoodwink the people into believing that Umno is a changed, moderate party,” he told FMT.

“Umno is being double-faced in using racism and religion on one hand through Parkasa to get the support of the Malay community while (Prime Minister) Najib (Tun Razak) on the other hand is singing the 1Malaysia unity song to the non-Malays to get their support.

“The policy of using a balance of racism and religion and talks of unity is to make the people hostage to the status quo of power. But this will backfire on BN in the next polls,” he added.

Worried about Bersih rally

Jeyakumar said Umno’s claim to be the saviour of the Malay community for the past 50 years does not hold water after the 2008 general election as the race has woken up to the reality that they are not on equal
economic footing like the Umno cronies.

He said the Malay community no longer subscribes to Umno’s political propaganda of divide and rule as the economic rift between the Umno cronies and the community continues to widen.

The PSM leader reasoned that the silence adopted by Umno with regard to Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali reveals the party’s tacit support for the hardcore Malay movement.

Ibrahim recently said that he will lead a counter rally against election reforms group Bersih 2.0′s planned rally on July 9 and Perkasa should not be blamed for any untoward incidents.

Jeyakumar claimed that Umno is worried about the Bersih rally, and are using fear tactics to discourage people from lending support.

Muslim group condemns Perkasa's racist threats

KUALA LUMPUR - An Islamic youth empowerment group has condemned the "inane behaviour" by several members of UMNO's right wing offshoot Perkasa as well as the threat by its leader Ibrahim Ali over the weekend against the Chinese community.

In a statement expressing outrage over Ibrahim's warning to Chinese to stay away from the July 9 rally called by electoral reform group Bersih, the Islamic Renaissance Front described the act of burning and stomping on pictures of Bersih chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan as "extremely offensive".

"The inane behavior of burning and stomping on pictures of BERSIH Chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan was extremely offensive and disparaging. Furthermore to address her as 'the Hindu woman' is plainly rude and clearly depicted the insolent attitude of PERKASA’s President himself," said IRF director Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa (pic), who is part of Bersih's steering committee.

Earlier, calling himself a "war general", the Perkasa chief, who planned to gather his supporters for a counter rally hoping both groups would "clash", raised the spectre of a racial riot should Bersih go ahead with its rally.

"If the Bersih rally is not cancelled... I believe the Chinese community will have to stock up on food.

“Yes, anything can happen. And so I ask the police to act and use whatever powers are at their disposal,” he was quoted as saying.

The remarks drew immediate condemnation, including from UMNO Youth leader Khairy Jamaludin in a move seen to distance the wing from Ibrahim's group, while PAS Youth, condemning the racist language used on Ambiga, pledged to protect participants at the rally from any harm caused by Perkasa.

Dr Farouk meanwhile reiterated that the rally was being called to bring about reform in the way elections were currently conducted.

"There has never been an equal playground and we are tired of seeing all sorts of political harassments. Not to mention of the obnoxious corruptions so prevalent as if it is a norm in our society," he said, adding that the recent state election in Sarawak proved that none of Bersih's demands had been met.

'Storehouse of democratic ideas'

He also called on Muslims to voice out against corruption.

"To our Muslim brothers that wish to remain impartial and unmoved by the high-handed acts of contempt for democratic principles, we would like to remind them that their silence will embolden the corrupt despots and that no change will be seen if we just pray for change without any action on our part.

“Verily, God does not change men’s condition unless they change their inner selves," added IRF's statement to Harakahdaily, quoting a verse from the Qur'an.

According to Dr Farouk, Muslim history was rife with instances of Islamic scholars speaking up against unjust leaders, resulting in many of them being imprisoned.

"The great founding jurists of the major schools of law in Islam adamantly protested against their own school being adopted as the state canon of their time. Many were imprisoned as a result of their criticisms against rulers of their time.

"We are the inheritors of this tradition, which provides today’s Muslims with a storehouse of democratic ideas," he stressed, and called on Malaysians to attend the rally "be it rain or shine".

- Harakahdaily

'Chinese stay home' warning is seditious: Khairy

S Pathmawathy

Perkasa leader Ibrahim Ali's warning to Chinese Malaysians to stock up on provisions ahead of the July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally is “racist, seditious and dangerous”, according to Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

“This is a threat against one community in the country, clearly and expressively... action should be taken against him (Ibrahim),” Khairy (left) told reporters in the Parliament lobby today.

At very least, Ibrahim should be investigated under the Sedition Act 1949, he said, while pointing out that the latter is not representative of the majority of Malays. 
“The Malays in Malaysia are a noble society and we will not do what is mentioned by Ibrahim, we live in harmony. And as Umno Youth chief, I stress that we do not subscribe to such views,” he said.

Ibrahim had pledged to hold a Perkasa 'Peace March' on July 9, further threatening that chaos would ensue if the Bersih rally for election reform is not cancelled.

“Imagine, ladies and gentlemen, if the Bersih rally is not called off and they go ahead with it - if they don't cancel it on July 8 or 9 - I believe the Chinese community, many of them, will have to stock up on food at home. Anything can happen on that day,” Ibrahim had said yesterday.

Last week, Khairy had announced that Umno Youth would hold its own rally on July 9 to show its support for the electoral system, thus opposing the Bersih 2.0 stand.

Khairy said that, while Umno Youth does not subscribe to the Bersih 2.0s demands, its rally will be a peaceful one.

“But (what was) mentioned by Ibrahim yesterday, if it is true, I find that it is a very dangerous... there is nothing brave in whatt he has said,” he noted.

“If we have the Sedition Act, (then) I don't know any more in what (case) it can be any clearer. It is up to the authorities to charge him, but he should investigated. I don't know if there is a police report on it.”

'Incendiary comment'

Asked about comments that the society should be more mature in dealing with hate-speech and racist innuendoes, Khairy said: “There are certain statements we can say (should be allowed). It's one's freedom of speech and (we can) be more tolerant, even (of) statements (that) hurt our feeling and to a certain extent (of those that perhaps) offend.

“But when he (Ibrahim) says the Chinese community should stock (up) on food, what does it mean? It means they (the Chinese) have to hide, that's what it means. It doesn't mean anything else. This is irresponsible. How can we accept this?”

Everyone has the freedom to assemble but not with the intention to hurt others, he noted, adding that what Ibrahim said “is incendiary, threatening and seditious”.

On a related matter, Khairy said he respects the wishes of other BN component parties to stay out of the Umno Youth rally.

“I can't order them around but it will not hamper our efforts to go forward with our rally. It's up to them,” he said, adding that the wing anticipates tens of thousands to join its demonstration.

Nazri: No action against Ibrahim Ali

S Pathmawathy

No action can be taken against Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali over his warnings of violence against the Christian community as such remarks are now a Malaysian norm, said de facto law minister Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz.

No matter how unsettling such remarks are, Malaysians therefore "need to live" and "be mature" in dealing with such characters as Ibrahim and his ilk since social platforms and media such as Twitter and blogs have allowed statements such as Ibrahim's to proliferate beyond the government's ability to proscribe - or punish - them, he added.
"It's difficult to take action against Ibrahim now with the existence of Twitter and blogs ... because we cannot be selective in our prosecution," he told Malaysiakini when contacted today.

Ibrahim had caused public outrage after issued an ultimatum of sorts against "ungrateful Christians" if they went on with a purported plot to subvert the position of Islam as the official religion of the federation.

Ibrahim had based his remarks on an Utusan Malaysia report earlier this month that alleged Christian leaders were conspiring to change the federal constitution in order to install a Christian as a prime minister and turn the Muslim-majority country into a Christian state.

Nazri (left) said users of Twitter and bloggers have been guilty of making statements deemed sensitive to one or other group.

"If I take action now (against Ibrahim), I have to move on all (of such) blogs and those (issuing similar remarks) on Twitter," said Nazri.

That, he added, will be a difficult task as the government would then be accused of stifling freedom of speech.

"The courts will be full of prosecutions against (persons accused of making) seditious statements," he reasoned.

He stressed the mammoth prospect of such a task presently compared to a few years ago when those propagating extremism and those uttering racial insinuations were hauled to court and punished.

 

Nazri: Live with it

Mohd Nazri had previously said that the government should "get rid" of the right-wing group, as it had acted in an extreme manner.

His comments came at a time when Perkasa had acted as a major stumbling block to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's economic reform efforts, as the group had decisively opposed the PM's proposal to gradually lift affirmative action policies to encourage open competition.

Mohd Nazri had then stressed that action can be taken if leaders of such groups uttered seditious remark.

In contrast, Nazri now says, "The state of the country is now beyond this... we have to live with it now.”

Religious leaders, critics and politicians from both sides of the fence have been mounting pressure on the government to act against Umno-linked Utusan Malaysia for its reckless reports on the alleged 'Christian conspiracy'.

Utusan front-paged an article titled 'Kristian Agama Rasmi?' (Christianity the official religion?) that cited unsubstantiated allegations on two pro-Umno blogs that Christian pastors were supposedly hatching a conspiracy to take over the country, abolish Islam as the religion of the federation and install a Christian prime minister.

The parties alleged to be involved have vehemently denied the reports and had lodged police reports against the Malay daily, and Utusan as well as the bloggers are presently under police investigation.

Perkasa imaginary war against Christians

Perkasa, Utusan Malaysia are Umno's tools to win Malay votes at all costs

Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali is trying to wage a war against the Christians in the country by alleging that Islam' position in the country is under threat.

Common sense tells us Malaysians that how in the world can Christianity threaten Islam in this country where the majority of the races are Muslims.

This conspiracy game was first created by Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia, by a ridiculous claim that a group of pastors were plotting to make Christianity the official religion of the nation and appoint a Christian prime minister.

The Perkasa president in his attempt to spark flames told the Christians in Malaysia, "If they want a crusade, so be it. If they say that the peace that we enjoy is not good enough ... we shall take up the challenge. Don't take the silence of Muslims as a sign of fear,” he warned to cheers from about 150 people at a ceramah last night.

“Before our followers fall in this battle, (Perkasa) leaders will first lay down their lives and die sprawling in blood,” he thundered.

Speaking at a function organised by the Komuniti 1Malaysia group of Kampung Kerdas and Kampung Changkat in Gombak, Ibrahim accused the Christians of “challenging the sovereignty and dignity of Malays and Muslims.

Apparently what Ibrahim Ali was a tool under the umbrella of Perkasa to help Umno in their political strategy to unite the Malays in the country by creating fear and hatred among the races.

Previously, he had used race as an issue but religion was used as it happen now a second attempt for maximum effect.

By Jericho

Is Ibrahim living in the Twilight Zone?

Ibrahim believes all things subversive in
country to be the work of cloaked communists

Perkasa now blames ex-Reds for presumed Christian plot


Perkasa now believes former Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) members are using local groups for an unsubstantiated plot to replace Islam as Malaysia’s official religion.

Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali said he suspected CPM supporters had infiltrated political parties, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), religious groups and business associations after the party laid down arms in 1989 in order to carry on their activities.

“I believe there are (former) Communist Party members who still hold communist beliefs and want to see the country descend into chaos,” he told reporters in Kampung Baru here today.

The Pasir Mas MP had earlier given the government two weeks to verify the plot’s existence.

Ibrahim warned Malaysians who have forgotten about the communists to be wary of statements made by certain parties which contained anti-national and subversive elements rooted in the ideology, which he blamed for the increased racial and religious tension in the country.

“If it’s subversive, this is the work of communists hiding behind certain organisations,” he said.

“We don’t know what their intention is. Just to create disorder?”

Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia carried a front-page article yesterday titled “Malaysia, negara Kristian?” (“Malaysia, a Christian country?”)  based entirely on blog postings by several pro-Umno bloggers.

The bloggers accused DAP of sedition for trying to change the country’s laws to allow a Christian prime minister, pointing to a grainy photograph showing what they described as a secret pact between the opposition party and pastors at a hotel in Penang on Wednesday.

In a posting headlined “Agong under threat? DAP wants to make Christianity the official religion of Malaysia?” blogger Marahku (marahku.blogspot.com) accused DAP of trying to amend the Federal Constitution so that a Christian could assume the post of prime minister.

“The whole point of changing the official religion is to allow a Christian to become prime minister of this country,” the blogger said.

In a posting headlined “Agong under threat? DAP wants to make Christianity the official religion of Malaysia?” blogger Marahku (marahku.blogspot.com) accused DAP of trying to amend the Federal Constitution so that a Christian could assume the post of prime minister.

“The whole point of changing the official religion is to allow a Christian to become prime minister of this country,” the blogger said.

On bigdogdotcom.wordpress.com, another blogger claimed to have received a message that DAP’s Jeff Ooi had organised a dinner for pastors from Sarawak and overseas at Red Rock Hotel on Jalan Macalister, Penang.

“Among the activities that night included the 35 pastors taking a group oath. They formed a circle and touched each other’s shoulder and vowed in English to make Christianity the official religion of Malaysia and put a Christian prime minister in office,” the anonymous writer said in his blog under the headline “Making Christianity the official religion?”

He also pointed to the same grainy picture he posted at the top of his blog page, which he had captioned “Partying pastors or pastors doing the party do and vow to have a Christian as Malaysian prime minister”.

The blogger further alleged that DAP had labelled the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition as an “anti-Christ agent” in the run-up to polls in Sarawak, showing the opposition party was “openly against BN on religious grounds and they are now making it their clarion call, their rabble rousing horn”.

He said it was a seditious and religiously-divisive statement that was never investigated by the police “or at least they did not tell us about any investigations on the matter”.

The blogger called on the authorities to investigate the allegations for sedition, warning that if the authorities failed in their duty the country may be “shattered again”.

The National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF), together with partners Global Day of Prayer, Marketplace Penang and Penang Pastors Fellowship, said the claims against their community were lies, and has already denied the bloggers’ allegations last night.

Similarly, Ooi said the dinner had been organised by the Christian pastors in recognition of the DAP team who had visited them while in Sarawak for the state election and that the prayer sessions — one before dinner and one at the end — were a usual part of their worship, and not a pledge as alleged.

Source: Malaysian Insider Written by By Yow Hong Chieh

Perkasa to go ahead with ‘1Bumiputera’ movement

Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali kisses the kris at
the movement’s inaugural congress that was opened by
Dr Mahathir at the PWTC in KL on March 27, 2010

Perkasa will still go ahead with its plans to form a movement to unite all Malay parties under the “1Bumiputera” banner despite the group’s patron Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad describing the idea as disastrous for the country.

The Malay rights group maintained that the community was in dire need of such a movement to defend their political rights, blaming the DAP for uniting the economically-strong Chinese minority to gain ultimate political power.

“We are calling it 1Bumiputera because we want to unite all Bumis. We will launch this to unite the Bumiputeras to defend our political rights.

We have no problems about ethnic Bumi ethnic groups having differing political ideologies but there has to be a collective consciousness in the interest of Bumiputeras.

“Perkasa hopes the spirit of 1Bumiputera reverberates in the souls of all Bumis including those in Sabah and Sarawak. What is wrong with that?” Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali told The Malaysian Insider.

He said that Perkasa would still go ahead and launch the movement in Kedah on April 30 during its 3rd “Perhimpunan Melayu”, but will only do so once Dr Mahathir, the guest of honour on that day, leaves the ceremony.

The former prime minister had for the first time disagreed with Perkasa, and warned that such a movement would eventually result in a two-party system where each side would be dominated by one race.

Even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak distanced his administration from the movement, saying that the movement was a personal opinion of Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia.

Utusan had first suggested the movement and had called on Umno to spearhead a 1 Melayu, 1 Bumi movement involving all Malay parties.

“Perkasa will still launch the 1Bumiputera movement in Kedah this April 30 as soon as Tun Dr Mahathir leaves the ceremony because we respect his views. He will be given the freedom to say anything he wants to say in his speech at the Perhimpunan Melayu Perkasa Kedah. We believe what he will say is for the harmony of the citizens of this country,” said Syed Hassan.

The Perkasa leader said they understood and respected the fact that the former PM did not agree with them, and likened the situation to Dr Mahathir disagreeing with Najib’s 1 Malaysia concept.

According to Syed Hassan, while Perkasa was aware that Malays needed to “share everything” with the other races, the non-Bumiputeras are now “refusing to share power” with the Bumiputeras.

“They want to control the economy and pressure the government to destroy the rights of the Bumiputeras. We have heard their demands many times.

“They do not respect the constitution,” he said.

He said the reason why Perkasa could not accept PR as the ruling coalition was because of the DAP, which, he stressed, would not help a form a fair administration.

“Perkasa feels secure with BN because over there is DAP... DAP is a party which propagates equality and we cannot accept DAP’s brand of equality.

“If we are talking about equality based on the race ratio we can accept, because that means 67 per cent of the country’s population are Bumis and therefore we need to control 67 per cent of the country’s economy. But if we have not even achieved 30 per cent and they are talking about getting rid of our constitutional rights how can we accept? This means they have no intention of sharing,” added Syed Hassan.

He said however that this did not mean that Perkasa rejected the 1 Malaysia concept which is a cornerstone of the Najib administration.

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal