KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 — Malay rights group Perkasa has raised concern over the decision by several “educated Malays” to sign up as DAP members, as the NGO lamented the dearth of leadership from Umno and PAS amid the ongoing leadership crises in both parties.
Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali said it was an “unintelligent” decision by the educated Malays to join the Chinese majority opposition party, but pinned the blame on Malay leaders for the predicament.
“This phenomenon is happening because the Malays have lost faith in their own Malay leadership who are seen as corrupt and hypocrites,” he said in his speech when opening the NGO’s Kuala Kangsar division special assembly last night.
“What is going to happen to the future of the Malays and bumiputera?... Malays and Bumiputera, please don’ t thank things for granted,” he added.
Ibrahim claimed that the Malays have stopped looking to Barisan Nasional lynchpin Umno and Islamist party PAS for leadership, especially after the recent Cabinet shakeup by Umno president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, and the exodus of so-called progressive leaders from PAS.
The Perkasa chief added that the situation is not likely going to improve for either party, and urged “disappointed” Umno and PAS members to join Perkasa as a platform “to find calm” while also finding a better use of their energy in upholding religion, race and country.
“Hence, Perkasa must be made fertile and made a shield for the faithful,” Ibrahim said.
