Feeling slighted, Perkasa urges Najib to tell others to ‘tone down’

KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak should ask other non-governmental organisations (NGO) to “tone down” as well, Perkasa said tonight, shortly after the prime minister singled out the group when urging for better religious and racial understanding in Malaysia.

Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali added that although Najib’s call shows the prime minister’s recognition of his Malay rights group, he felt the prime minister should not have thrown them under the bus.

“I think first off, the prime minister is recognising Perkasa, and his statement also indirectly gave me the message that Perkasa is committed to our goals, means we are being heard.

“But he should tell other NGOs to tone down also, he shouldn’t be brave enough to tell only us,” Ibrahim said when met on the sidelines of the launch of a Christian NGO tonight.

When asked which other NGOs he was referring to, Ibrahim simply said he meant other groups that also touch on “racial issues.”

He added that Najib’s statement was also uncalled for as Perkasa does not receive any funding from the government, unlike many other NGOs.

“Not only he asked to tone down, we don’t even get money! Other NGOs all get funding... but that’s okay, we’re gentlemen,” he added.

Najib told Perkasa to “tone down” their antics as he urged for better religious understanding among those of different faiths while speaking at the launch of Christians for Peace and Harmony in Malaysia (CPHM), a Putrajaya-backed Christian NGO.

Perkasa has been very vocal in championing the rights of Bumiputeras and Malays, most recently expressing dissatisfaction over the recently tabled 11th Malaysia Plan, saying that the plan did not adequately address the rights of Bumiputeras.

The Malay rights group also recommended that Putrajaya include “a clause or phrase related to Malays or Bumiputera in all chapters” of the five-year development plan.

Ibrahim, once a federal lawmaker for the Pasir Mas seat in Kelantan, has oftentimes been criticised for spewing allegedly extremist views on religion.

In 2013, he stirred outrage when he reportedly suggested that bibles be burned if they contain the word “Allah”, the Arabic word for God that Muslims here say should not be used by non-Muslims.