Unholy Perkasa ties: 'Have the guts to quit Umno'

GEORGE TOWN: A human rights leader today challenged Barisan Nasional component parties to leave the federal ruling coalition over Umno’s unholy political alliance with the Malay supremacist NGO, Perkasa.

The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) supremo P Waythamoorthy said it would be politically correct if the other 12 BN component parties take Umno to task for its shameful link with the racist Perkasa.

He said BN allies should question Umno, including Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, for supporting Perkasa while forsaking the multi-racial interests of the coalition.
He said the BN partners should issue an ultimatum to Umno to either sever its unholy ties with Perkasa or watch the partners walk away.

“BN allies should exercise their equal rights within the coalition. They should stop Umno’s racist agenda once and for all.
"They should have the guts to abandon Umno,” the London-based Waythamoorthy told FMT today.

He said since it was formed in the aftermath of 2008 general election, Perkasa has championed a racist Malay supremacy agenda to the detriment of non-Malay/ Muslim citizens of the country.
He said that Perkasa leaders have been trumpeting about their agenda without fear of draconian laws, such as the Internal Security Act and Sedition Act, because they were backed by Umno.
He recalled that previously Umno Youth would act as the pressure group by propagating the Malay agenda to tame other BN component parties.

Umno ploy
However, since the electoral debacle in 2008, he accused Umno leadership of franchising its own racist agenda to Perkasa to camouflage the federal ruling party’s real intention.
“Perkasa and its racist Malay agenda are simply another of Umno’s privatisation project in the country.

“It’s merely to maintain Umno’s racist policy to marginalise others and safeguard the interests of one particular community.

“There is no other ruling party in any democratic society in this world as racist as Umno.
“It’s now masking itself with Perkasa,” said Waythamoorthy.

Besides Umno, the other component members are MCA, MIC, Gerakan, PPP, and Borneo-based parties -- Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko), Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and Sarawak People's Party (PRS).

Waythamoorthy alleged that Perkasa’s opposition to the New Economic Model (NEM) was merely an Umno ploy to maintain its Malay supremacist agenda in the country.
“It’s to regain the Malay electoral ground,” he said.

He added that BN allies were duty-bound to check on Umno’s wrongdoings in the coalition rule.
He said the allies should not allow Umno, with only 79 or 35.6% of the parliamentary seats, to dominate the country with a racist agenda.

He also said the component parties owed it to the people to stop Umno.
“It’s time for BN allies to give Umno the 'abandon Perkasa or we leave' ultimatum,” said Waythamoorthy

03/06/10