UMNO Perkasa antics will cost BN’

This morning some 30 Perkasa members held a protest and conducted funeral rites for Lim before holding another noisy gathering in Komtar.

GEORGE TOWN: A local Gerakan politician has warned Barisan Nasional that Perkasa’s political frolics would cost the coalition massive vote loss, especially among non-Malays, in the next general election.

Given the general perception that Perkasa is a ‘subsidiary’ of Umno, Baljit Singh warned that other BN component parties would suffer politically as they are seen as “guilty by association” with Umno.

“Component parties like Gerakan, MIC and MCA are going to be the innocent victims.

“These parties will pay a heavy price for Perkasa antics. The voters will punish component parties for being associated with Umno. Malaysians are sick and tired of this gutter politics,” he said.

The Penang Gerakan legal and human rights bureau head said Perkasa and other alleged Umno-linked groups, such as the Mamak group, were fast becoming sources of embarrassment for BN.

“These groups definitely are going overboard with their political dramas,” he said.

He was commenting on Perkasa’s latest political folly which involved the “funeral rites” for Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at his residence in Jalan Pinhorn here this morning.

Previously these groups had carried out a ‘coffin protest’ against Lim’s political secretary and Komtar assemblyman Ng Wei Aik.

They also held an anti-Bersih riot in the city last July, and caused chaos and showed up their footwear at Lim during a peaceful anti-Lynas gathering in February.

They also roughed up newsmen in both incidents.

The groups also presented a ‘poop’ shaped cake to Lim during the chief minister’s 51st birthday last Dec.

‘Funeral rites’

This morning some 30 Perkasa members held a protest and conducted funeral rites for Lim outside his residence before holding another noisy gathering in Komtar.

They alleged that Lim had incited racial tension among ethnic Malays and ethnic Indians, in obvious reference to Lim’s remarks in the State Legislative Assembly early this week that “I feel all Hindu temples are in danger if Umno returns to power”

The group led by Penang Perkasa chief Mohd Ridzuad Azudin placed a garlanded portrait of Lim and pasted his posters with swastika logos on the gate of the residence during the 10.25am demonstration.

They also chanted anti-Lim slogans and threw rolled-up posters into the porch and on the road.

Mohd Rizuad slammed Lim for stoking racial tension by claiming that Umno would pose a threat to Hindu temples if it ruled Penang.

He said Lim has always been busy politicking and never had time for people’s issues.

A group of policemen who arrived at Lim’s residence, secured the premise and the exterior, but made no arrests.

After the 10-minute protest, the Perkasa members proceeded on their motorcycles to Komtar and continued to strew Lim’s posters along their way.

At Komtar, the group repeated their funeral rites for Lim, by flanking two flowerpots and garlanding Lim’s portrait as a symbol of his death.

Mohd Rizuad said the funeral rites were Perkasa’s way of telling to the people that Lim was dead for failing to comply with the Malay supremacist organisation’s previous seven-point memorandum.

‘Who wants to meet with samsengs?’

Lim meanwhile told newsmen that he was upset that the protesters took their demonstration to his house without and care or consideration for the safety of his family.

“If my personal safety is not guaranteed anymore, what more that of my family?

“They are not decision-makers of the state so why target them?

“If my five-year-old son was at home, he would have been scared.

“These are the same people who were involved with the assault on pressmen during the Anti-Lynas Himpunan Hijau rally in Padang Kota.

“I am afraid of their violent attitude,” said a visibly upset Lim.

Asked if he would meet with them, he said: “Who wants to meet with `samseng’ (gangsters)? When you want to talk civilly with them, they rather yell and utter vulgar words.

“They believe in violence and racism. I cannot talk to such people. Let the people make their deductions about their characteristics,” said Lim, adding that action should be taken for littering.