Reject bad leaders, not ruin policies, Perkasa tells govt

Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali says Bumiputeras are currently facing more critical challenges due to the government’s ‘openness’.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malay rights group Perkasa today reminded the Pakatan Harapan government that the reason behind them rejecting the previous Barisan Nasional administration was due to issues on cost of living and not racial equality as mooted by Putrajaya.

Its president Ibrahim Ali told 1,327 delegates in his speech at the group’s annual general meeting that they never wanted changes in the national policy when it comes to privileges for the Malays and Islam.

He said the Bumiputeras were currently facing more critical challenges due to the government’s “openness policy” under the Malaysia Baru slogan.

“If the government or its leader is problematic, just change the government or the leader, not revamp every national policy, especially those that affect the privilege of the Malays and Islam,” he said.

He said the people had done their part in overthrowing problematic leaders, but the current government shouldn’t ruin policies and institutions that had long been accepted by the people.

Through several Malay idioms, Ibrahim implied that the government had disappointed the people who just wanted to remove bad leaders but keep everything else such as existing policies.

He also criticised issues pertaining to liberalism, pluralism as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) which he claimed had become rampant lately.

He said the right to freedom and human rights should not supersede laws of religion.

“If disregarded and not curbed, it will only drive the nation towards the path of destruction or as I call it, the catastrophe of the nation,” he said.

Ibrahim also questioned the lack of assistance towards the Bumiputera agenda in Budget 2019.

He said there were no initiatives to help farmers, rubber tappers and fishermen despite the negative impact of the declining rubber and palm oil prices.

“Perkasa does not see any increment for the Bumiputera agenda. Is this because of equality policies or policies based on needs?” he asked. -FMT