KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 — Malay rights group Perkasa today rubbished fears that more Malay parties would contribute to the deepening division among Malay voters, branding such worries as mere perception.
In a press conference here today, Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali rebuked such fears, adding that there were in fact more ethnic Indian political parties than that of Malays.
“In the context of division, this is only a perception, because when it comes to the battle (election) day we will have our strategy.
“People just say whenever there is a new party, there’s going to be division,” he added.
Ibrahim was speaking to reporters after announcing the formation of his new political party, Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra).
“As long as we practise democracy, there will be more political parties.
“So the issue of Malays being divided, despite how many parties are formed, I feel it won’t be an issue because there won’t be such division.
“The reason there is a division is because these political parties don’t fulfil their party’s aims,” he added.
He pointed to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), saying that despite the party claiming to fight for the Malays, Bumiputeras in general and Islam, by virtue of it being a component party of Pakatan Harapan (PH), it has to abide by the PH manifesto.
“Leave Anwar aside, because it’s (PKR) multiracial from the start. Amanah (Parti Amanah Negara) is also multiracial. So (there is) only Bersatu, Umno and PAS,” he said, referring to PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
When asked which political party he would ally Putra with, Ibrahim said he has yet to decide as it depends on the performance of the existing political bloc.
He said he would now focus on building his party to establish divisions and branches.
Ibrahim had in August last year, announced the formation of Putra and subsequently applied to be recognised as a political party.
He received the green light from the Registrar of Societies (RoS) yesterday.
