KUALA LUMPUR: MCA vice-president Donald Lim’s controversial call to form a Chinese "Perkasa" to counter the ultra-Malay organisation may put them on a collision course.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz described the move as "ridiculous" and tantamount to subscribing to "extremism".
“We want to get rid of Perkasa and he (Lim) wants to be an extremist. What about the Indians? Let’s also form Kadazan extremist groups, Iban and then let’s all fight....
“I think it is ridiculous,” said Nazri, adding that Lim, who is a Barisan Nasional deputy minister, should not be suggesting things like that.
“Two wrongs will not make one right… We are against any form of racism and Perkasa certainly doesn't belong to or is supported by Umno,” said the Padang Rengas MP.
Lim, three days ago, suggested a Chinese version of Perkasa to retaliate the right-wing Malay group’s constant racial attacks.
He was reported to have hinted that the proper body to take on the role of a Chinese "Perkasa" would be the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH).
Lim’s comrades in MCA, however, distanced themselves from his suggestions, stressing that it was his "personal view" and that MCA leaders are closely working with all races.
'Distance yourselves from Perkasa'
When asked what he meant by "get rid" of the Malay-rights group, Nazri clarified that the people should keep a distance from it.
“There is a freedom of disassociation in this country. So we can't really stop them,” he said. [Read Ibrahim's reaction here]
However, if Perkasa's statements are deemed seditious, the people can take action against them.
“And I got no problem with that,” he said.
Asked whether Perkasa has made seditious statements, he replied: “Nobody has made police reports, I don’t know.”
To a question if he is willing to lodge a police report, Nazri stressed that it need not necessarily come from him.
“Why should I? Anybody can make a report and why should it be (from) BN? Any citizen who feels it (Perkasa) is a threat to the country, should make a report,” he said.
Nazri, a vocal critic of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, took the opportunity to lash out at him once again for advising the government to engage more Malay grassroots leaders.
“Who are the citizens of this country? All Malays kah? There are non-Malays here. You people have got no say at all? Are you second-class?” he asked, sarcastically.
He said that as a multi-racial country, the people cannot tolerate such statements regardless if they come from a former premier or anybody else.
“For a leader to say that we need to engage more Malays, what are you trying to say? Are you trying to say the non-Malays are not an important component of our country? I think that is unacceptable,” said Nazri.
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