Ibrahim says ‘liberals’ jealous, threatened by Perkasa

Ibrahim (right) at Parliament with Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. - Picture by Jack Ooi

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 14 — Datuk Ibrahim Ali today laughed off criticisms by those he called “liberals”, saying they are threatened and jealous of his Malay rights group Perkasa’s growing popularity.

The Pasir Mas MP claimed these critics feared the group’s rapid growth and surging popularity “as a brand Malays can rely on”.

“Perkasa is now a brand every Malays talk about but many have attacked us, calling us a racist group and conservative hardliners because of what we fight for,” the outspoken Malay leader said when launching the group’s Wira, Wiranita and Wirawati wings here.

“But I say this to them, every time they say that, whatever they call us, we are confident that we are fighting for the right and just cause,” he said to a thunderous applause from some 300 of Perkasa supporters.

The outspoken Independent MP claimed some of Perkasa’s critics are from political parties and they envy Perkasa’s freer position to champion Malay rights without having to fear repelling non-Malay support.

Ibrahim’s Perkasa has been seen by the Malay grassroots as the substitute platform to champion what they feel as eroding Malay rights despite being the dominant race in the country.

Many of Perkasa’s supporters appear to be “disillusioned” Umno frustrated by

the open economic policies of its new president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and feel that the nationalist party has failed to safeguard Malay interests.

Its growing support has also unleashed tirades from the more liberal elements within Umno and the opposition parties who label the group as “ultras” and “racists”.

But Ibrahim said such critiques are mere jealousy and denied being racist.

He also blasted its non-Malay critics as the racists saying that while Perkasa is fighting for what belongs to them, the “others” are “fighting for what is not theirs”.

“Almost 60 per cent of the country’s businesses are controlled by the Chinese. Even when there was the New Economic Policy, the private companies, which are dominated by them, had profited from the policy’s infrastructural projects,” he said, adding that Malays are still poor compared to other races despite forming the majority.

“So how are we racists? What we fight for is enshrined in the Federal Constitution but what they fight for is not,” he added.

Ibrahim then turned his attacks on the “liberal” Malays, saying that there is no such term and said Malays, in its essence, are a “traditional race” which should strive to protect Malay institutions like the monarchy.

These liberals, he added, have been the traitors to the “real Malay” cause and Perkasa will not allow them to halt its struggle to “restore” Malay dominancy.

“Persetankan mereka! (To hell with them),” he said to a thunderous applause.

The Kelantanese politican disclosed that Perkasa was growing rapidly and the formation. of the group’s three wings is testament to its rising popularity.

He announced the group will hold its first congress on March 27 and has sought to have the Selangor ruler to open the meeting.

Perkasa is targeting between 8,000 to 10,000 supporters to attend the inaugural congress, Ibrahim added.