While UMNO-linked Perkasa's alliance with Barisan Nasional is not a secret, a confirmation to this effect has put to rest any suspicion otherwise, especially among remnants of non-Malay support in the coalition.
The right wing group's patron, none other than former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, said in an interview with ntv7’s Chat Time programme last night that Perkasa was working for BN.
“They say at the most BN will get 20 percent of their (non-Malay) votes. But we cannot ignore Perkasa because they are for us,” said Mahathir, in yet another defence of the group whose leaders had attracted condemnations for racist remarks.
On April 20, BN’s nominee for Pasir Mas announced that he was not going ahead with his candidacy despite being to do so by BN chairman Najib Razak.
Instead, Che Johan Che Pa threw his support behind Ibrahim Ali, the Perkasa chief, who is contesting on an independent ticket against PAS's Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz, son of revered Kelantan leader Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.
BN has also placed Perkasa vice-chairman Zulkifli Noordin in Shah Alam. The decision also drew support from the coalition's troubled Chinese-only party MCA.
Mahathir said had BN rejected Perkasa, the coalition could lose more support from the people.
"You say you do not want to vote for us (because we put up Perkasa candidates), but if we reject the people who are for us, where will the BN be? This is a reaction to what they say,” Malaysiakini quoted Mahathir as saying.
The UMNO strongman also hinted that the Chinese did not deserve to be treated equally due to 'refusal to assimilate'.
“So you can continue with your culture, your language and religion. Hence, you cannot be the same as others who adopted the idea of assimilation... you cannot expect the same if you do not want to assimilate," he went on.
-Harakahdaily
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