'Eggs and stones thrown to sabotage Perkasa, Umno'

The throwing of eggs and stones at an event for Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan in Merlimau, Malacca, last Saturday was an attempt by certain quarters to sabotage Perkasa and Umno, Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali has claimed.

"It could be sabotage... there are attempts to tarnish the reputation of Perkasa," Ibrahim told Malaysiakiniafter a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

While not disputing that Perkasa members were present at the protest, Ibrahim said the Malay rights pressure group would never condone such acts of violence.

"Sometimes, there are people who buy our Perkasa t-shirts or uniforms and wear them on the streets. Then, when anything happens, people will blame us," he said.

Asked who he thought had perpetrated these "acts of sabotage", Ibrahim replied: "I don't know, but it could be for political purposes."

Umno and Perkasa have admitted that their members were present during the protest, but both denied any responsibility for the subsequent acts of aggression by the protesters.

Some 200 protesters had gatheredoutside the hi-tea event organised by PAS in Malacca last Saturday, which was to feature Ambiga, to protest against the Bersih co-chairperson.

In the incident, eggs and stones were thrown at DAP state assemblypersons Khoo Poay Tiong and Tey Kok Kiew, while several vehicles suffered damaged including a shattered window.'

Ambiga had earlier been advised by the organisers not to attend the event in Merlimau as they were concerned about her security after protests and police reports made by a number of local groups.

Jasin Umno Youth chief Jeezle Tit claimed that the chaos began after a car knocked into one of the protesters but Khoo and Tey have denied this.

'Muzakarah in your backyard first'

On a separate matter, Ibrahim Ali who is also the Independent MP for Pasir Mas in Kelantan, said PAS should stop worrying about having a muzakarah (dialogue) with Umno at the federal level and should instead focus on its own base of Kelantan.

"If they want a muzakarah, then it should be between Kelantan Umno and Kelantan PAS, with ‘Should PAS hand over the Kelantan government to Umno?’ as the topic.

"I'm advising Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat not to have a headache about matters outside Kelantan, to focus on Kelantan and settle the problems here first," he said.

Among the issues that should be discussed, he said, are the continued water problems in Kelantan despite PAS' 23-year rule, the leasing of Malay reserve lands and the exodus of young Kelantanese to work elsewhere.

PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz had last Saturday proposed a muzakarah with Umno, but set several conditions, including for Umno to "change its ways" and to accept PAS’ political partners PKR and DAP.

However, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang yesterday said this was an old issue and that there would be no muzakarah with Umno.