KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 — Singer Jimmy Palikat of ‘Anak Kampung’ fame is rescinding his application to join Malay rights group Perkasa after the news sparked outrage among the Sabah entertainer’s fans.

In a statement today, the singer conceded that he had applied to join Perkasa but claimed to have done so in order to broaden his network within entertainment circles.

“Unfortunately, my application to join Perkasa has been misconstrued as my support for the group’s stand on a variety of issues, including some that may not sit well with sections of society such as those in Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.

“After considering all views, I am withdrawing my application to join Perkasa with immediate effect.”

News of Palikat’s bid to enter the Malay rights group was spread across social media in recent days, leading to criticism against the singer on his Facebook page.

Today, he maintained that he was aware of the sensitivities of Sabahans and insisted that he remained highly tolerant of racial and religious ties.

The peninsular-based Perkasa positions itself as a champion of the indigenous Bumiputera community but is viewed as primarily representing the Malay-Muslim majority that dominates the group.

It has courted controversy with ultra-conservative views on race and religion, particularly its support for Muslim exclusivity over the Arabic word for God, “Allah”.