For Utusan, Perkasa swarms MCA HQ

The protesters take the Chinese-based party to task for criticising Utusan Malaysia, which Perkasa says is the 'sole defender of the Malay voice'.

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KUALA LUMPUR: Some 100 Perkasa members staged a protest outside the MCA heaquarters here condemning the Chinese-based party for criticising the Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia daily.

The protesters shouted “Hidup Melayu” and warned MCA against “playing with fire” as its actions could cause a repeat of the 1969 racial clashes.

MCA leaders had blasted Utusan for what they described as a continued racist attack on the Chinese community especially after the Sarawak polls.

The overwhelming Chinese support for the opposition led to the fall of 12 state seats, more than double the amount previously.

Utusan had described the Chinese as being ungrateful and called for the Malays to unite under a campaign called “1Melayu, 1Bumi”, mimicking Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s 1Malaysia, which was meant to promote racial pluralism.

Columnists from the Malay daily also accused DAP, the Chinese-majority component party in Pakatan Rakyat, of racism and attempting to oust the nation’s Malay leadership.

Perkasa declared its intention to spearhead the “1Malay, 1Bumi” campaign and warned MCA that it would “face the consequences” if it did not stop its criticism against Utusan.

The Malay right-wing group also demanded MCA to retract its call for a boycott on the Malay daily, which Perkasa described as the “sole defender of the Malay voice”.

The demand was made in a four-point memorandum handed to a MCA delegate by Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali under the watchful eyes of the police.

At a press conference later, Syed Hassan said MCA’s continuous attack on Utusan was hurting the feelings of the Malays.

“If they do not stop, they will face the consequences that we promised,” he warned.

Najib, Mahathir distancing from Utusan


Najib had detached himself from Utusan’s Malay power rhetoric and said that the 1Malay, 1Bumi campaign had no connection with his party Umno.

He also said Utusan did not represent his party, suggesting a crack between Umno’s top leadership and its grassroots who were known to be Perkasa sympathisers.

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who had backed Perkasa’s effort to “empower” the Malays, also labelled Utusan’s 1Malay, 1Bumi campaign as dangerous.

However, Perkasa appeared unperturbed and vowed to press on with the campaign.