Prime Minister and Umno president Najib Abdul Razak must cut off all association with the Malay rights pressure group, Perkasa, to prove that he is really promoting moderation.
Claiming that Perkasa comprises “mainly Umno members”, Pua in a statement today said Perkasa goes against moderation by making statements in “Umno-owned mainstream media” which cause inter-religious friction.
“The latest statement by the Perkasa secretary-general – ‘the faith of Islam, of Muslims is under siege in Selangor … Perkasa is concerned about a more aggressive Christianisation attempt, especially with (Menteri Besar) Khalid (Ibrahim) in charge of the exco portfolio for Islam’ – seeks to fananti-Christian sentiments,” said Pua.
Instead of ticking off Perkasa for “stirring religious intolerance and extremism”, the Petaling Jaya Utrara MP said Najib had “more than once made policy U-turns to placate Ibrahim Ali, the Perkasa supremo”.
Najib had said, during the International Conference on Global Movement of Moderates last week, that it was “time for moderates to reclaim the agenda for peace” and to “marginalise the extremists”.
‘Take a hike’
In an immediate reaction, Ibrahim said Pua should “look in the mirror” before branding anyone extremist, and ask himself who the real “chauvinist party” is.
“Pua can take a hike. (He) is not fit to talk and to advise. Perkasa has nothing to do with Umno. We are a NGO and we engage with government to pursue our (goals) like other NGOs,” he said.
Ibrahim added that Pua is engaging in “double standards” by trying to silence Perkasa, “a party that defends freedom of speech and democracy”, and that is “shameful”.
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