KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — Perkasa’s fight to uphold Malay rights is now more germane since Umno Youth adopted a liberal and progressive approach, Datuk Ibrahim Ali said today.

The Perkasa chief also questioned the effectiveness of Umno Youth’s “liberal and progressive” image, saying the Malay party’s Youth wing had failed to win support from young people for Barisan Nasional (BN) in Election 2013.

“Perkasa is more relevant today, now that Umno Youth has become more liberal and progressive, leaving the championing of Malay agendas to us,” Ibrahim told The Malay Mail recently.

“We are still alive and kicking, and play our role accordingly — to protect the sovereignty and rights of the Malays and Bumiputeras, the position of the Malay Rulers and the sanctity of Islam as stipulated in the Federal Constitution,” added the Malay right-wing leader.

Khairy Jamaluddin, who successfully defended his post as Umno Youth chief at the party polls last week, has said that his victory was a triumph of the progressives over the conservatives in the BN lynchpin party.

His main challenger Akhramsyah Muammar Ubaidah Sanusi, in the five-corner fight, had adopted a “Hidup Melayu” tagline and banked on the call to capture votes from those eager to see Umno return to its Malay nationalist roots.

Khairy is seen as the poster boy for the progressive stance favoured by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also Umno president, as he steered Umno Youth into the opposite direction from the days when his predecessor, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, used to unsheathe the “keris” (Malay dagger) at the wing’s general assemblies.

Ibrahim said that Perkasa had helped increase support for BN in “Malay states and Malay areas” in the May 5 general polls.

“We attacked PAS until BN managed to reclaim Kedah,” said Ibrahim.

“Our gathering in Bagan Serai was attended by 15,000 people. With that, BN won the parliament seat and three state seats and secured Perak once again,” he added.

Ibrahim questioned if Umno Youth’s liberal stand was equivalent to compromising Malay rights or to removing Malay privileges.

“I do not understand this liberalism they (Umno Youth) are championing because I only know of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak’s liberal stand, which is in accordance with the Federal Constitution. To Perkasa, liberalism means acknowledging the rights of non-Malays to practice their culture and tradition, and to live their way of life with no intrusion,” said the outspoken politician.

Ibrahim said that he had failed to defend the Pasir Mas federal seat because he had contested as an independent, instead of under the BN banner.

“I was informed one day before nomination. So I was caught off guard and was lacking in almost every aspect, particularly funds and election machinery. Not to mention that the voters were also confused,” he said.

Ibrahim also stressed that Perkasa is not racist.

“We are just an independent Malay NGO defending Malays and Islam,” he said.

When asked why the public is generally angry with him, Ibrahim said: “Honestly, I do not know why and I do not even know how long I will continue to be misunderstood, but I accept this as part of life.”

“Jealousy is the word to describe their attitude towards me because I am vocal and I speak without fear or favour. I am always misunderstood, and in Islam, a leader is always being tested by Allah,” added the fiery politician.