Anything can happen on July 9, warns Perkasa
Perkasa’s president Ibrahim Ali has claimed the group’s planned ‘Peace March’ on July 9 is aimed at defending the peace and stopping the Bersih 2.0 coalition from holding a demonstration on that day.
Perkasa’s president Ibrahim Ali has claimed the group’s planned ‘Peace March’ on July 9 is aimed at defending the peace and stopping the Bersih 2.0 coalition from holding a demonstration on that day.
In a show of anger at Bersih leaders during the launch of its march at the Sultan Sulaiman Club in Kuala Lumpur today, members of the purported Malay rights group took to burning and stomping on pictures of Bersih chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan before holding a press conference on the matter.
Spewing vitriol on the Bersih rally for free and fair elections, Ibrahim threatened chaos will ensue if the demonstration by the coalition of opposition and political activists was not cancelled.
“Imagine, ladies and gentlemen, if the Bersih rally is not called off and they go ahead with it - if they don’t cancel it on July 8 or 9 - I believe the Chinese community, many of them, will have to stock up on food at home.
"Anything can happen on that day,” he added.
Ibrahim, who is MP for Pasir Mas in Kelantan, also called on the police to act by any means necessary to safeguard the peace.
“If the rally (by Bersih) is not cancelled off, we will proceed... If you want to arrest, arrest everybody, as long as our nation is at peace.
"Don’t cause the disturbance," said the politician, to resounding applause by the 500 supporters of Perkasa and other Malay NGOs that had gathered at the club.
Camping out till D Day
Ibrahim continued that he would be camping out at Jalan Bellamy on the midnight before and would then proceed to the Istana the next morning.
“Don’t go home, after dawn we will head to the Istana to defend the country,” he charged.
He told the crowd he expects many to show support, adding that chapters around the country will be sending 20 busloads of supporters from each state.
He added that they will have lawyers standing by on the day should any supporter be arrest, but said they will not be responsible if any of the participants get up to any mischief during the rally.
Ibrahim also suggested for supporters to distribute their leaflets and hang out their banners to whip up interest on their so-called Peace March.
The leaflets, that predictably read “Reject Bersih 2.0, that is actually dirty” outline four main gathering points for their anti-Bersih supporters to group as early as 7am.
The spots are the National Mosque compound, Merdeka Square, Merdeka Stadium compound and the Istana.
The leaflets being distributed depicts Ambiga with the words ‘Beware! Ambiga the Hindu Woman is Dangerous’ explaining her connection with the Lina Joy case and calling her a “threat” to Muslims and Malays by dragging our her apparently anti-Islam initiatives such as the interfaith council.
Ibrahim: We are not troublemakers
“We are not troublemakers, if they (Bersih) calls it off, we will also stop. We want to obstruct efforts that break the law,” said the controversial Perkasa chief.
He accused Bersih 2.0 of having a “hidden agenda” drawing their aspirations from the Arab Spring in Tunisia, Egypt and the Middle East to topple the government by taking to the streets.
He claimed Bersih’s actions did not have the approval of the majority of Malaysians.
“That’s why we oppose it for the whole world to see. Don’t worry, don’t be afraid of Ambiga,” he said.
“I have been arrested under ISA twice, I know PAS leader Mat Sabu, I know the DAP leaders,” he went on.
Claiming his anti-Bersih march had no political agenda and was only a preventive move, he added that they had nothing to do with Umno Youth’s planned gathering.
“We don’t mix with Umno Youth... We are the people - one battalion,” he said.
Fighting for law and order
The Pasir Mas MP then ventured to ask the crowd who is willing to come to the defence of the draconian Internal Security Act. 
However, it appears only a handful of supporters raised their hands and several murmured “I” in response.
Unfazed, he carried on, “Don’t be like West Asia, we want to help Home Minister (Hishammuddin Hussein) by getting the people to observe the law,” said the Perkasa chief.
At a press conference later, he continued to urge the police to use everything within the law to maintain peace.
When asked, he said he did not have a police permit to march, but that he will nevertheless confront Bersih.
He repeated that if Bersih cancels their march for free and fair elections, he would call Perkasa’s anti-Bersih march off as well.
Present at the event to oppose Bersih were representatives from Pekida, another alleged NGO, and political leaders such as Khalid Yunus and Zulkifli Nordin and representatives of the hawkers’ and taxi drivers’ associations.
Both Khalid and Zulkifli also addressed the crowd.
