Government distances itself from Perkasa

KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 — The government today denied that it has been backing the Malay rights group Perkasa, adding that administration does not focus solely on any ethnic group.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz told the Dewan Rakyat the formation of Perkasa does not mean the government has failed to protect the interest of the Malays.

“The government has nothing to do with the formation of Perkasa. The group is a non-governmental organisation (NGO), which has no ties with the government of Malaysia,” said Nazri in a written reply to the Parliament.

He was responding to a question by Tanah Merah MP Amran Ghani who asked if the government was behind the setting up of Perkasa.

“The matter has nothing to do with the question of whether the government is able to protect the interest of the Malays because the government of Malaysia is a government for all and will act for every citizen of Malaysia,” said Nazri in a two-paragraph answer.

Perkasa was formed soon after Election 2008 by independent Pasir Mas MP Datuk Ibrahim Ali who claimed that it was a response to increasing threats to the Malays.

The group has successfully turned into a pressure group in ensuring the government continues to protect what Perkasa calls the constitutional position of the Malays, in particular the pro-Bumiputera policy in awarding of government projects and scholarships.

Late last month a Perkasa-led Bumiputera Economic Congress passed a resolution rejecting the New Economic Model (NEM) which the group claimed abandons the pro-Bumiputera policy.

The government’s decision to retain the Bumiputera agenda in the Tenth Malaysia Plan (10MP) tabled last week, was seen by Perkasa as a sign of the congress’ success.