KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 — Many of Perkasa’s newly-elected supreme council members reads like a Who’s Who list of Umno leaders who lost in last year’s party elections but they insist they are not using the Malay rights movement to manoeuvre political comebacks.
At least six of 22 supreme council members are still Umno members, including deputy president Datuk Abdul Rahman Abu Bakar, vice-president Dr Asyraf Wajidi Dasuki, treasurer Datuk Shuib Lazim, Wanita chief Raihan Sulaiman Palestin and Youth chief Arman Azha Abu Hanifa.
“If I want to make a comeback in my division, I don’t need to use Perkasa,” Abdul Rahman told The Malaysian Insider.
Abdul Rahman was formerly the Segamat Umno deputy chief until 2004. In the last party election he contested the post again but lost by one vote.
“In the Segamat district, the local chapter of Perkasa consists of people from Labis and Sekijang, in fact the Segamat Perkasa deputy chairman is also the Sekijang Umno deputy chief, why do I attract people from outside the division if it is for politics.
“If I want to strengthen my position in the division I would have organised the Johor Perkasa launch in Segamat and not in Batu Pahat,” he added.
Abdul Rahman also claimed that the issue of Perkasa causing division within Umno does not arise.
“One of Perkasa’s objectives is to unite the Malays, we want to unite the Malays no matter which political party they belong to,” he said.
“Any Malay-related issues that we want to raise, we will forward it to Umno, to the government, so how can anyone say we are causing rift within Umno?” asked Abdul Rahman.
Perkasa vice-president Datuk Mokhtar Samad disclosed that his involvement in the group is solely to protect the interest of the Malays.
“This is not my political platform, if you look at the Perkasa constitution, it is an organisation for all Malays regardless of political affiliation,” said Mokhtar.
Mokhtar was elected Umno Bandar Tun Razak chief during party election last year but was suspended for one year for alleged involvement in money politics.
“On my position in the division, it is up to the central leadership to decide, my suspension just ended last month, the division’s affairs have nothing to do with my involvement in Perkasa,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
“This is not a group for disappointed people, we operate within the democratic system,” he added.
Perkasa was formed by independent Pasir Mas MP Datuk Ibrahim Ali soon after Election 2008 and has now turned into a strong pressure group representing those seeking to defend the constitutional position of the Malays and the “social contract”.
It has been at the forefront in lobbying the government to retain the affirmative action policy favouring the Malays and in the New Economic Model (NEM).
MI
07/04/10
At least six of 22 supreme council members are still Umno members, including deputy president Datuk Abdul Rahman Abu Bakar, vice-president Dr Asyraf Wajidi Dasuki, treasurer Datuk Shuib Lazim, Wanita chief Raihan Sulaiman Palestin and Youth chief Arman Azha Abu Hanifa.
“If I want to make a comeback in my division, I don’t need to use Perkasa,” Abdul Rahman told The Malaysian Insider.
Abdul Rahman was formerly the Segamat Umno deputy chief until 2004. In the last party election he contested the post again but lost by one vote.
“In the Segamat district, the local chapter of Perkasa consists of people from Labis and Sekijang, in fact the Segamat Perkasa deputy chairman is also the Sekijang Umno deputy chief, why do I attract people from outside the division if it is for politics.
“If I want to strengthen my position in the division I would have organised the Johor Perkasa launch in Segamat and not in Batu Pahat,” he added.
Abdul Rahman also claimed that the issue of Perkasa causing division within Umno does not arise.
“One of Perkasa’s objectives is to unite the Malays, we want to unite the Malays no matter which political party they belong to,” he said.
“Any Malay-related issues that we want to raise, we will forward it to Umno, to the government, so how can anyone say we are causing rift within Umno?” asked Abdul Rahman.
Perkasa vice-president Datuk Mokhtar Samad disclosed that his involvement in the group is solely to protect the interest of the Malays.
“This is not my political platform, if you look at the Perkasa constitution, it is an organisation for all Malays regardless of political affiliation,” said Mokhtar.
Mokhtar was elected Umno Bandar Tun Razak chief during party election last year but was suspended for one year for alleged involvement in money politics.
“On my position in the division, it is up to the central leadership to decide, my suspension just ended last month, the division’s affairs have nothing to do with my involvement in Perkasa,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
“This is not a group for disappointed people, we operate within the democratic system,” he added.
Perkasa was formed by independent Pasir Mas MP Datuk Ibrahim Ali soon after Election 2008 and has now turned into a strong pressure group representing those seeking to defend the constitutional position of the Malays and the “social contract”.
It has been at the forefront in lobbying the government to retain the affirmative action policy favouring the Malays and in the New Economic Model (NEM).
MI
07/04/10
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