'Dangerous Perkasa mentality in BN'
Susan LoonePublished: Sep 21, 2010 9:08 AM | Updated: Sep 21, 2010 9:22 AM
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has condemned certain supporters of Malay rights groups Perkasa for their “big sandiwara (play-acting)” in appearing to oppose it in public, while backing it behind the scenes.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has condemned certain supporters of Malay rights groups Perkasa for their “big sandiwara (play-acting)” in appearing to oppose it in public, while backing it behind the scenes.
Lim, w
ho is DAP national secretary-general, demanded that BN component parties explain their silence at coalition meetings and their fear of demanding that Perkasa be opposed.
“Yet they talk big outside. This Perkasa mentality in BN is dangerous as it has permitted public and open denigration of non-Malays,” he said in a statement.
“For example, school principals who are supposed to teach good values, healthy respect for differences and harmonious living are now preaching intolerance, contempt of other races and even hate. Worse they escape unpunished!”
Lim said the 1Malaysia campaign and BN’s consensus spirit are irrelevant so long as Umno and BN support the “racist” Perkasa.
“How can Perkasa claim not to be racist a
nd (say it is) only fighting to uphold Article 153 of the federal constitution when it supports racist statements that Chinese should go back to China (or that Chinese) women sell their bodies, (or that) Indians are beggars and dogs?”
He also took issue with Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Mansor’s recent statement that, at meetings with BN secretaries-general, talk about distancing themselves from Perkasa have never surfaced.
Prior to this, Tengku Adnan had made scathing remarks about Perkasa, saying that Umno will not back it in the next general election as the NGO is eroding non-Malay support.
He then denied the making the remark, after premier and Umno president Najib Abdul Razak said last Friday that the party is not at odds with Perkasa.
‘Ignore childish rants’
This gave Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali the opportunity to hit out at Tengku Adnan yesterday, calling for his sacking for allegedly “misrepresenting” Najib.
However, Parti Ci
nta Malaysia vice-president Huan Cheng Guan (left) urged Najib to ignore Syed Hassan’s “childish rants on Perkasa and just focus on 1Malaysia”.
He expressed support for Tengku Adnan, saying the former had “performed his duties as BN secretary-general to further promote the concept of 1Malaysia”.
“Tengku Adnan should be lauded for his statement and for chiding Perkasa ...,” said the former vice-president of Gerakan.
“Other (BN) component party leaders should emulate Tengku Adnan and speak out without fear or favour, for the benefit of 1Malaysia and our future generations.”
Lim, w
ho is DAP national secretary-general, demanded that BN component parties explain their silence at coalition meetings and their fear of demanding that Perkasa be opposed.“Yet they talk big outside. This Perkasa mentality in BN is dangerous as it has permitted public and open denigration of non-Malays,” he said in a statement.
“For example, school principals who are supposed to teach good values, healthy respect for differences and harmonious living are now preaching intolerance, contempt of other races and even hate. Worse they escape unpunished!”
Lim said the 1Malaysia campaign and BN’s consensus spirit are irrelevant so long as Umno and BN support the “racist” Perkasa.
“How can Perkasa claim not to be racist a
nd (say it is) only fighting to uphold Article 153 of the federal constitution when it supports racist statements that Chinese should go back to China (or that Chinese) women sell their bodies, (or that) Indians are beggars and dogs?”He also took issue with Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Mansor’s recent statement that, at meetings with BN secretaries-general, talk about distancing themselves from Perkasa have never surfaced.
Prior to this, Tengku Adnan had made scathing remarks about Perkasa, saying that Umno will not back it in the next general election as the NGO is eroding non-Malay support.
He then denied the making the remark, after premier and Umno president Najib Abdul Razak said last Friday that the party is not at odds with Perkasa.
‘Ignore childish rants’
This gave Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali the opportunity to hit out at Tengku Adnan yesterday, calling for his sacking for allegedly “misrepresenting” Najib.
However, Parti Ci
nta Malaysia vice-president Huan Cheng Guan (left) urged Najib to ignore Syed Hassan’s “childish rants on Perkasa and just focus on 1Malaysia”.He expressed support for Tengku Adnan, saying the former had “performed his duties as BN secretary-general to further promote the concept of 1Malaysia”.
“Tengku Adnan should be lauded for his statement and for chiding Perkasa ...,” said the former vice-president of Gerakan.
“Other (BN) component party leaders should emulate Tengku Adnan and speak out without fear or favour, for the benefit of 1Malaysia and our future generations.”
View Comments0