Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa (
Malay
Malay may refer to:
Languages
* Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore
** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century
** Indonesi ...
for "Mighty Native Organisation" or better known by its
acronym
An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. Acronyms are usually formed from the initial letters of words, as in ''NATO'' (''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''), but sometimes use syllables, as ...
: Perkasa), is a
Malay dominance
''Ketuanan Melayu'' (Jawi script: كتوانن ملايو; "Malay Overlordship") is a political concept that emphasises Malay preeminence in present-day Malaysia. The Malays of Malaysia have claimed a special position and exceptional rights ...
non-governmental organisation
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from g ...
(NGO) that was formed by
Ibrahim Ali in the aftermath of the
2008 general election (GE12). This conservative,
extreme-right,
ethnic Malay
Malays ( ms, Orang Melayu, Jawi: أورڠ ملايو) are an Austronesian ethnic group native to eastern Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula and coastal Borneo, as well as the smaller islands that lie between these locations — areas that are col ...
organisation is led by its president Ibrahim Ali to influence the unity of Malaysian by refusing to accept any decoration of other ethnic group except Malay decoration. The group is reported to have a membership of 700,000.
The major objectives for establishing Perkasa, according to
Ibrahim Ali, are to act as "protectors of
Article 153 of the Constitution of Malaysia
Article often refers to:
* Article (grammar), a grammatical element used to indicate definiteness or indefiniteness
* Article (publishing), a piece of nonfictional prose that is an independent part of a publication
Article may also refer to:
G ...
" and to defend the rights of
Bumiputera Bumiputera or Bumiputra, which is a Malay word, comes from the Sanskrit word ''Bhumiputra'' which may be transliterated as "son of earth" or "son of the soil" (Bhūmi; भूमि = earth; putra = son). It has different definitions in Brunei and M ...
from being eroded by certain quarters. Perkasa is said to be fighting and defending the rights of the
Malays which they feel are being challenged by non-Malays in
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
.
Perkasa has recently become infamous for its racial and religious provocations against non-Malays, especially Chinese and Indians; and non-Muslims, especially Christians through vocal, physical and violent means. Despite the continuous offensive and seditious remarks by its chief Ibrahim Ali and its members that have threatened social harmony, no legal action has been taken by the Malaysian authorities so far. It has been branded a
fascist
Fascism is a far-right, Authoritarianism, authoritarian, ultranationalism, ultra-nationalist political Political ideology, ideology and Political movement, movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and pol ...
organisation by MPs from the Malaysian federal opposition coalition
Pakatan Rakyat
The People's Alliance ( ms, Pakatan Rakyat; abbrev: PR) was an informal Malaysian political coalition and successor to Barisan Alternatif (BA). The political coalition was formed by the People's Justice Party (PKR), Democratic Action Party (DAP ...
(PR) back then.
In September 2010, Ibrahim Ali claimed that 60% of Perkasa members were
United Malays National Organisation
The United Malays National Organisation (Malay: ; Jawi: ; abbreviated UMNO () or less commonly PEKEMBAR), is a nationalist right-wing political party in Malaysia. As the oldest continuous national political party within Malaysia (since its in ...
(UMNO) members.
However, both Ibrahim Ali and UMNO's secretary-general
Tengku Adnan
Datuk Seri Utama Tengku Adnan bin Tengku Mansor ( Jawi: تڠكو عدنان بن تڠكو منصور; born 20 December 1950) is a Malaysian politician who served as Minister of Federal Territories, Minister of Tourism and Minister in the Pri ...
denied any ties between UMNO and Perkasa
[ although both of them agreed that several UMNO members are also Perkasa members.
Despite Perkasa's close association with UMNO, Ibrahim Ali during Perkasa's 2013 annual general assembly, had alleged that UMNO had shown weakness and become "toothless" in their efforts to safeguard the rights of the Malays and had implied the possibility of Perkasa becoming a full-fledged political party to participate in 2018 general election (GE14), going head-to-head against UMNO. In 2018 after the GE14 which saw the downfall of ]Barisan Nasional
The National Front ( ms, Barisan Nasional; abbrev: BN) is a political coalition of Malaysia that was founded in 1973 as a coalition of centre-right and right-wing political parties. It is also the third largest political coalition with 30 se ...
(BN) and UMNO government, Ibrahim Ali finally founded Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia
Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia ( Malay for "Malaysia Mighty Bumiputera Party", Jawi: ڤرتي بوميڤوترا ڤركاس مليسيا, Abbr.: PUTRA) is a nationalist political party in Malaysia. The party was founded and led by Ibrahim Al ...
(PUTRA); a new party that based on the UMNO original constitution to serve as an alternative to the Malays and the new party registration was approved in 2019.
Leadership
Ibrahim Ali, the former Pasir Mas
Pasir Mas (Jawi: ڤاسير مس, Kelantanese: ''Pasey Mah'') is a town in Pasir Mas District, in north-western Kelantan, Malaysia.
Pasir Mas is Kelantan's second largest city by population (230,424 in 2020 census).
History
According to legend ...
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
, is the founder and first president of Perkasa. The other leader of Perkasa is its Deputy President Dato' Fuad Hassan (2008-2014). Ibrahim has attempted twice to resign as Perkasa president in 2013 and again in 2018, but both were rejected by Perkasa’s supreme council.
Recent events
* On 12 February 2010, some 1,000 members from Perkasa and Selangor UMNO marched from the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque
ar, مسجد سلطان صلاح الدين عبدالعزيز
, image = SA Blue Mosque.jpg
, image_size = 265px
, caption = Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque from Taman Tasik Shah Alam.
, map_type = Malaysia
, coordinates =
, ...
to the Selangor State Secretariat Building in Shah Alam
Shah Alam () is a city and the state capital of Selangor, Malaysia and situated within the Petaling District and a small portion of the neighbouring Klang District. Shah Alam replaced Kuala Lumpur as the capital city of the state of Selangor in ...
, Selangor
Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east ...
, to protest the Selangor
Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east ...
state government's handling of the quit rent issue involving Yayasan Basmi Kemiskinan (YBK).
* On 29 April 2010, Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali filed a defamation suit, seeking RM 10mil worth of damages against Malaysian English daily The Sun after the newspaper allegedly described Ibrahim Ali as a leader of a "chauvinist" group and he was "extreme in championing the rights of a certain race".
* On 28 September 2010, a group of 50 Perkasa members protested against controversial Malaysian rapper Wee Meng Chee (Namewee) by torching his posters outside the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) where Namewee was about to speak at a youth forum.
* On 25 April 2011, about 100 Perkasa members and supporters held a protest outside the MCA headquarters in Kuala Lumpur after the party's call to boycott the Malaysian Malay language daily Utusan Malaysia
''Utusan Malaysia'' ( Jawi: اوتوسن مليسيا; English: ''The Malaysian Tribune'' or simply ''Utusan'') is a Malaysian Malay-language daily newspaper. Formerly owned by the Utusan Group, the newspaper is currently owned by Media Mulia.
...
, in response to the daily's "1 Melayu, 1 Bumi" initiative. Perkasa secretary general Syed Hassan Syed Ali defended Utusan Malaysia, saying that the newspaper is not being racist as it only defended Malay rights enshrined in the constitution.
* On 14 August 2011, Perkasa staged a protest by burning copies of the Malaysian English-language daily The Star
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
and to show dissatisfaction of the English newspaper which promoted non-halal food outlets that serve pork on its dining supplement for Muslims during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan
, type = islam
, longtype = Religious
, image = Ramadan montage.jpg
, caption=From top, left to right: A crescent moon over Sarıçam, Turkey, marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan. Ramadan Quran reading in Bandar Torkaman, Iran. ...
. Its president Ibrahim Ali then urged all Muslims to brand The Star
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
newspaper as anti-Muslim and anti-Malay for disturbing the sensitivities of the Muslims.
* On 26 February 2012, a group of UMNO
The United Malays National Organisation ( Malay: ; Jawi: ; abbreviated UMNO () or less commonly PEKEMBAR), is a nationalist right-wing political party in Malaysia. As the oldest continuous national political party within Malaysia (since its ...
and Perkasa members attacked and injured demonstrators and members of the press during an anti-Lynas
Lynas Rare Earths, Ltd. is an Australian rare-earths mining company, listed on the Australian Securities Exchange as a S&P/ASX 200 company. It has two major operations: a mining and concentration plant at Mount Weld, Western Australia, ...
protest at the Speaker's Corner, Padang Kota Lama, Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
. Two journalists from the Chinese-language daily Kwong Wah Yit Poh
''Kwong Wah Yit Poh'' or ''Kwong Wah Daily'' () is a Malaysian Chinese daily that was founded on 20 December 1910 by Dr. Sun Yat-sen.
The idea of publishing the ''Kwang Hwa Pao'' or 'Glorious Chinese Newspaper' was originally conceived when Dr ...
were beaten and injured. There were news reports where Perkasa members threatened protesters with foul language and racist remarks.
* On 6 April 2012, Perkasa members were reported attacking PKR members during an official launch of the PKR's new branch office in Jalan Putra, Alor Setar
Alor Setar ( Jawi: الور ستار, Kedahan: ''Loqstaq'') is the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia. It is the second-largest city in the state after Sungai Petani and one of the most-important cities on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia ...
, Kedah
Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area ...
.
* On 10 May 2012, a group of 30 Perkasa members hold a mock funeral ceremony in front of Chief Minister of Penang
The Chief Minister of Penang is the head of government in the Malaysian state of Penang. According to convention, the chief minister is the leader of the majority party or largest coalition party of the Penang State Legislative Assembly. The chie ...
Lim Guan Eng
Lim Guan Eng (; born 8 December 1960) is a Malaysian politician and accountant from the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Bagan, Member of t ...
's residence at Pinhorn Road and also the latter's office in Komtar
The Tun Abdul Razak Complex, (Malay language, Malay: Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak; Chinese language, Chinese: 光大大厦; Tamil language, Tamil: கொம்டார் கோபுரம்); colloquially known by its Malay acronym Komtar, fo ...
, Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
as a sign of protest to show dissatisfaction of the latter's administration of the Penang state government
The Government of Penang ( ms, Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang) refers to the government authority of the Malaysian state of Penang. The state government adheres to and is created by both the Constitution of Malaysia, the supreme law of Malaysia, an ...
.
* On 30 June 2012, a group of Penang Perkasa members protested against Chief Minister of Penang
The Chief Minister of Penang is the head of government in the Malaysian state of Penang. According to convention, the chief minister is the leader of the majority party or largest coalition party of the Penang State Legislative Assembly. The chie ...
Lim Guan Eng
Lim Guan Eng (; born 8 December 1960) is a Malaysian politician and accountant from the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Bagan, Member of t ...
by carrying banners and posters at the Teluk Bahang market in Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
, which ended up in a scuffle with shoving and pushing. The latter claimed that someone had roughly brushed against him from behind when he was about to leave.
* On 2 September 2012, PKR members reported that Perkasa members were attacking members of the public attending a tazkirah (Muslim religious sermon) by Opposition Leader
The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the opposition is typically se ...
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar bin Ibrahim ( ms, انور بن ابراهيم, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset, IPA: ; born 10 August 1947) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia since November 2022. He served as the 12 ...
at a mosque in Alor Setar, Kedah.
* On 8 March 2013, a group representing various NGOs - Perkasa, National Silat Federation (Pesaka), Pertubuhan Kebajikan Islamiah dan Dakwah (Pekida), Penang Muslim Network (JMPP), Federation of Peninsula Malay Students (GPMS), Penang Pencinta Malaysia Association (Pencinta), and Pertubuhan Kebajikan Al-Ehsan staged a protest at Komtar
The Tun Abdul Razak Complex, (Malay language, Malay: Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak; Chinese language, Chinese: 光大大厦; Tamil language, Tamil: கொம்டார் கோபுரம்); colloquially known by its Malay acronym Komtar, fo ...
, Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
to demand an apology from Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng
Lim Guan Eng (; born 8 December 1960) is a Malaysian politician and accountant from the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Bagan, Member of t ...
over the latter's call to allow Christians in Malaysia to use the word "Allah". They allegedly tried to break the glass doors to gain entry into the Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
state administration office in an attempt to hand in a "clock" to Lim Guan Eng
Lim Guan Eng (; born 8 December 1960) is a Malaysian politician and accountant from the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Bagan, Member of t ...
(giving a clock to person in Chinese culture means wishing death to the said person's parents).
* On 14 October 2013, a group of Perkasa members gathered outside the Federal Court when the Court of Appeal ruled that the Catholic Church is prohibited from using the word "Allah" in the Malay language section of its weekly newspaper, Herald. Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali shouted cries of "Praise be to Allah", saying that the people should stop bringing up the issue and urged politicians not to politicise the issue.
* On 18 January 2014, about 600 Penang UMNO and Perkasa members staged a street protest with provocative banners against Machang Bubok
Machang Bubok ( Jawi: ماڅڠ بوبوق) is a new village in Central Seberang Perai District, Penang, Malaysia.
As of date November 2011, the Machang Bubok village has 2134 people and 85% of the population consists of Chinese. About 12% of ...
PKR assemblyman Lee Khai Loon in Seberang Jaya
Seberang Jaya ( Jawi: سبرڠ جاي) is a suburb in the city of Seberang Perai, Penang, Malaysia. Located at the southern bank of the Perai River and east of Perai proper, the area was developed in the 1970s. Since then, Seberang Jaya has evolved ...
, Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
. Earlier, Lee Khai Loon has organised a flash mob by stuffing kangkung
''Ipomoea aquatica'', widely known as water spinach, is a semi- aquatic, tropical plant grown as a vegetable for its tender shoots. ''I. aquatica'' is generally believed to have been first domesticated in Southeast Asia. It is widely cultivate ...
(water spinach) into an effigy of Malaysian Prime Minister
The prime minister of Malaysia ( ms, Perdana Menteri Malaysia; ms, ڤردان منتري مليسيا, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is the head of government of Malaysia. The prime minister directs the executive branch of the feder ...
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
Dato' Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak ( ms, محمد نجيب بن عبد الرزاق, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset, ; born 23 July 1953) is a Malaysian politician who served as the 6th prime minister of Malays ...
in Alma, Bukit Mertajam
Bukit Mertajam ( Jawi:بوكيت مرتاجم) is the administrative centre of the city of Seberang Perai in Penang, Malaysia. It also serves as the seat of the Central Seberang Perai District. , Bukit Mertajam (core) contains a total of 13, ...
. Some of the banners contained racial provocative sentiments. Penang UMNO Youth secretary Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir warned Lee and Pakatan Rakyat
The People's Alliance ( ms, Pakatan Rakyat; abbrev: PR) was an informal Malaysian political coalition and successor to Barisan Alternatif (BA). The political coalition was formed by the People's Justice Party (PKR), Democratic Action Party (DAP ...
not to provoke the Malay race by ridiculing their leaders, Islam, the police and other Malay institutions, threatening another 13 May riots.
* On 19 January 2014, two men were assaulted during a rally held by UMNO and Perkasa in support of the Malaysian Prime Minister
The prime minister of Malaysia ( ms, Perdana Menteri Malaysia; ms, ڤردان منتري مليسيا, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is the head of government of Malaysia. The prime minister directs the executive branch of the feder ...
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
Dato' Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak ( ms, محمد نجيب بن عبد الرزاق, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset, ; born 23 July 1953) is a Malaysian politician who served as the 6th prime minister of Malays ...
's kangkung remarks in Alma, Bukit Mertajam
Bukit Mertajam ( Jawi:بوكيت مرتاجم) is the administrative centre of the city of Seberang Perai in Penang, Malaysia. It also serves as the seat of the Central Seberang Perai District. , Bukit Mertajam (core) contains a total of 13, ...
. The protesters had earlier gathered at a food court in Alma and then proceeding to Machang Bubok
Machang Bubok ( Jawi: ماڅڠ بوبوق) is a new village in Central Seberang Perai District, Penang, Malaysia.
As of date November 2011, the Machang Bubok village has 2134 people and 85% of the population consists of Chinese. About 12% of ...
assemblyman Lee Khai Loon's service centre. The group also burnt a paper effigy of the latter.
* On 21 January 2014, a group of protesters from UMNO Youth, Perkasa, Pekida, Persatuan Mukabuku and Al-Ehsan staged a violent demonstration and assaulted Penang Island Municipal Council enforcement officers during the demolition of illegal food stalls at Teluk Awak Flat in Jalan Hassan Abas, Teluk Bahang
Teluk Bahang is a town within the city of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. It is located within the Southwest Penang Island District, near the northwestern tip of Penang Island. Established as a fishing village, Teluk Bahang has evo ...
, Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
. However, no arrest has been made by the police since.
* On 21 May 2014, Penang Perkasa Youth Chief and several Penang UMNO members had staged a protest in front of the Penang State Assembly Building
The Penang State Assembly Building is the home of the Penang State Legislative Assembly. It is located at Light Street in the city of George Town in Penang, Malaysia, within the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site. All State Legislative Assembly pr ...
over Seri Delima state assemblyman RSN Rayer
Sanisvara Nethaji Rayer s/o Rajaji Rayer (born 11 June 1971) is a Malaysian politician and lawyer. He is also a member of Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) opposition coalition. He has served as Mem ...
's "UMNO celaka" remark. They stormed into the state assembly hall by crashing through the gates of the building. They have also demanded apology from RSN Rayer.
* On 12 October 2014, a rowdy group which consists of members of Perkasa, UMNO Youth and Persatuan Gabungan Melayu Islam Pulau Pinang harassed and chased away demonstrators in a peaceful gathering to repeal the Sedition Act organised by Gerakan Hapus Akta Hasutan (GHAH) in Speaker's Corner, Padang Kota Lama, Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
. Two British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
women who were passing by were physically assaulted and called Jews
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
by the mob. However, the police did not prevent the violent disruption and only intervened when the situation got worse when the mob began pushing, chasing and cornering GHAH supporters and bystanders.
* On 26 December 2014, a group of representatives from Perkasa and 100 Malay villagers staged a protest against the Selangor State Government at the Selangor State Secretariat Building for approving the building of a high-tech pig farm in Kampung Sepat, Kuala Langat. They handed over a memorandum to Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali
Mohamed Azmin bin Ali ( Jawi: محمد عزمين بن علي; born 25 August 1964) is a Malaysian politician who served as Senior Minister of the Economic Cluster and as Minister of International Trade and Industry from 2020 to 2022. A memb ...
. They said that building a pig farm near a Malay village was an insult to the Malays and added that Azmin should speak up in defence of the Malays.
Controversies
Publication of seditious articles
On 1 July 2010, the official organ of Perkasa, ''Suara Perkasa'' published an article on its front page asking Dr. Wee Ka Siong to be detained under Internal Security Act Internal Security Act may refer to:
* Internal Security Act 1960, former Malaysian law
*Internal Security Act (Singapore)
* McCarran Internal Security Act, a United States federal law
*Suppression of Communism Act, 1950, a South African law, rename ...
(ISA) for questioning the special position of Bumiputera Bumiputera or Bumiputra, which is a Malay word, comes from the Sanskrit word ''Bhumiputra'' which may be transliterated as "son of earth" or "son of the soil" (Bhūmi; भूमि = earth; putra = son). It has different definitions in Brunei and M ...
which is under the Article 153 of the Constitution of Malaysia
Article often refers to:
* Article (grammar), a grammatical element used to indicate definiteness or indefiniteness
* Article (publishing), a piece of nonfictional prose that is an independent part of a publication
Article may also refer to:
G ...
. However, Wee dismissed Perkasa's allegation. ''Suara Perkasa'' was called by the Malaysian Home Ministry the following day for an explanation. The article received a backlash by the component parties in Barisan Nasional
The National Front ( ms, Barisan Nasional; abbrev: BN) is a political coalition of Malaysia that was founded in 1973 as a coalition of centre-right and right-wing political parties. It is also the third largest political coalition with 30 se ...
, including United Malays National Organisation
The United Malays National Organisation (Malay: ; Jawi: ; abbreviated UMNO () or less commonly PEKEMBAR), is a nationalist right-wing political party in Malaysia. As the oldest continuous national political party within Malaysia (since its in ...
(UMNO), Malaysian Chinese Association
The Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA; zh, 马来西亚华人公会; ; ta, மலேசிய சீனர் சங்கம், initially known as the Malayan Chinese Association) is a uni-racial political party in Malaysia that seeks to ...
(MCA) and Malaysian Indian Congress
The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC; ta, மலேசிய இந்திய காங்கிரஸ், Malēciya Intiya Kāṅkiras; formerly known as Malayan Indian Congress) is a Malaysian political party. It is one of the founding membe ...
(MIC). On 5 July 2010, the controversial ''Suara Perkasa'' was let off with a warning by the Home Ministry for publishing an article that could have jeopardised national unity. However some members of UMNO, the leading component of the ruling Barisan Nasional government in Malaysia are supporters of its founder, who was also previously a member of the political party. Datuk Ibrahim Ali was an independent MP in his home state of Kelantan and was known to have strong grassroots support in his constituency. He is also close to the top leadership of UMNO (United Malay National Organisation) and at one time was a member of the Supreme Council of that party. He is still an influential politician and was also close to the previous Deputy Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, as they were previously members of ABIM ( Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia - Malaysian Islamic Youth Assembly) which the former deputy minister headed. Datuk Seri Ibrahim Ali was the Member of Parliament for Pasir Mas (2008-2013), a constituency in his home state of Kelantan. He is now rallying support from Malaysians to reject Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar bin Ibrahim ( ms, انور بن ابراهيم, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset, IPA: ; born 10 August 1947) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia since November 2022. He served as the 12 ...
as the next Malaysian leader on account of the alleged personality flaws of the latter. This movement seems to gather much momentum among the rural Malays and Malaysians in general as can be evidenced by massive turnout especially among his Malay supporters. He is aided in his campaign by Datuk Hassan Ali, a former member of Parti Islam Se-Malaysia
The Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS; ms, Parti Islam Se-Malaysia; ms, ڤرتي إسلام سمليسيا, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is an Islamist political party in Malaysia. As the party focused on Islamic fundamentalism, PAS's ...
who had left the Pakatan Rakyat coalition top leadership because of differences of opinion on multiple issues, one of which relating to the controversial use of the word Allah in the Bible.
Counter protest against Bersih 2.0
During the Perkasa Anti-Bersih launch at Kelab Sultan Sulaiman on 19 June 2011 which is a counter protest of Bersih 2.0 rally
The Bersih 2.0 rally (also called the Walk for Democracy) was a demonstration in Kuala Lumpur held on 9 July 2011 as a follow-up to the 2007 Bersih rally. The rally, organised by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), was supporte ...
, president Ibrahim Ali was reported stoking racial tension in his speech, warning the Chinese to "stock up food" as "anything can happen", because he claimed that if Bersih 2.0 rally
The Bersih 2.0 rally (also called the Walk for Democracy) was a demonstration in Kuala Lumpur held on 9 July 2011 as a follow-up to the 2007 Bersih rally. The rally, organised by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), was supporte ...
was not cancelled, racial riots similar to 13 May incident may happen. In other word, he implied that the Chinese should be staying indoors to avoid any trouble on the day of the Bersih 2.0 rally
The Bersih 2.0 rally (also called the Walk for Democracy) was a demonstration in Kuala Lumpur held on 9 July 2011 as a follow-up to the 2007 Bersih rally. The rally, organised by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), was supporte ...
on 9 July 2011. Following his speech, lawmakers from both sides of the political divide have accused him of turning the rally, which was supposed to be demanding for free and fair election, into a racial issue. UMNO
The United Malays National Organisation ( Malay: ; Jawi: ; abbreviated UMNO () or less commonly PEKEMBAR), is a nationalist right-wing political party in Malaysia. As the oldest continuous national political party within Malaysia (since its ...
Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin
Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar ( Jawi: ; born 10 January 1976) is a Malaysian politician. He most recently served as Minister of Health in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob from August 2021 ...
suggested that Ibrahim Ali should be probed under the Sedition Act.
Distribution of white angpows
During the Chinese New Year celebration organised by Perkasa in February 2012, Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali was reported distributing RM10,000 packed in "white-coloured angpows" to ethnic-Chinese senior citizens. This has angered many ethnic-Chinese in Malaysia of touching the sensitivities of the Chinese. In Chinese culture, money given out in white packets is traditionally-associated with the 'pak kam' (white gold), which are donations given out at funerals. His actions has received heavy criticisms from Malaysian Chinese
Malaysian Chinese (; Malay: ''Orang Cina Malaysia''), alternatively Chinese Malaysians, are Malaysian citizens of Han Chinese descent. They form the second largest ethnic group after the Malay majority constituting 22.4% of the Malaysian po ...
leaders such as MCA Young Professionals Bureau chief Datuk Chua Tee Yong
Datuk Chua Tee Yong (; born 19 October 1977) is a Malaysian politician and was the Member of parliament of Malaysia for the Labis constituency in the State of Johor for two terms (2008-2018). He was one of the four Vice-Presidents of the Mala ...
, MCA Youth secretary-general Datuk Chai Kim Sen and MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong
Malay titles#Datuk Sri, Datuk Seri Engineer's degree, Ir. Doctor of Philosophy, Dr. Wee Ka Siong (; born 20 October 1968) is a Malaysian people, Malaysian politician, and engineer who served as Minister of Transport (Malaysia), Minister of Tra ...
, with many described the president's actions as "disrespectful" and "insensitive". Ibrahim Ali then eventually expressed regret for not being aware of the cultural taboo of the Malaysian Chinese and added that such mistakes could be avoided, giving an excuse that they have run out of red-coloured ang pows.
Chinese as a national security threat
On 12 December 2012, Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali commented that of late the Malaysian Chinese
Malaysian Chinese (; Malay: ''Orang Cina Malaysia''), alternatively Chinese Malaysians, are Malaysian citizens of Han Chinese descent. They form the second largest ethnic group after the Malay majority constituting 22.4% of the Malaysian po ...
have been playing up political sentiments and accused the country's second-largest ethnic group of forgotten how living in Malaysia is "like heaven". He also commented that the Chinese community will become a national security threat which would result in racial riots similar to the 13 May incident if it grows more powerful economically and politically.
Crusade threat against Christians
On 12 May 2011, its president Ibrahim Ali launched a crusade against Christians if the community proceeds with its agenda to replace Islam as Malaysia's official religion, criticising them as being ungrateful people, during a speech organised by the Kommuniti 1 Malaysia in Kampung Changkat, Gombak, Selangor, which was attended by several UMNO leaders. His called for a holy war against Christians after a news report from Utusan Malaysia
''Utusan Malaysia'' ( Jawi: اوتوسن مليسيا; English: ''The Malaysian Tribune'' or simply ''Utusan'') is a Malaysian Malay-language daily newspaper. Formerly owned by the Utusan Group, the newspaper is currently owned by Media Mulia.
...
claiming that the Christians and DAP
DAP or Dap may refer to:
Science
* DAP (gene), human gene that encodes death-associated proteins, which mediate programmed cell death
* Diamidophosphate, phosphorylating compound
* Diaminopimelic acid, amino acid derivative of lysine
* Diamin ...
had a conspiracy of turning Malaysia into a Christian country. In response, the DAP had criticised the Malaysian government for its refusal to apprehend Ibrahim Ali for his seditious remark, declaring this as a proof that UMNO is backing the Perkasa leader, with DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng
Lim Guan Eng (; born 8 December 1960) is a Malaysian politician and accountant from the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Bagan, Member of t ...
describing Perkasa as an "alter ego" of UMNO. Meanwhile, Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon called for a full investigation into all of Ibrahim's speeches made, commented that the leader was "uncouth" and in clear violation of the concept of " 1Malaysia".
Call to burn Malay language bibles
On 21 January 2013, Perkasa again courted intense public outrage when Ibrahim Ali called on Muslims to burn Malay-language bibles which use the term "Allah
Allah (; ar, الله, translit=Allāh, ) is the common Arabic word for God. In the English language, the word generally refers to God in Islam. The word is thought to be derived by contraction from '' al- ilāh'', which means "the god", an ...
" in their texts. Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali had made a call during the Perkasa convention in Permatang Pauh
Permatang Pauh is a town in Central Seberang Perai District, Penang, Malaysia. There are two institutions of higher learning located in Permatang Pauh, namely a campus of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) and Politeknik Seberang Perai at Bandar P ...
, Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
, urging Muslims to burn the Malay language version of the Christian Holy Bibles that contain the words "Allah" and other religious Arabic words written in Jawi. He then threatened that he would quit supporting the Barisan Nasional
The National Front ( ms, Barisan Nasional; abbrev: BN) is a political coalition of Malaysia that was founded in 1973 as a coalition of centre-right and right-wing political parties. It is also the third largest political coalition with 30 se ...
after receiving criticisms from leaders of MCA and MIC. He then added that he did not intend to offend the Christians and instigating racial and religious tension but as a solution to prevent an alleged conversion of Muslims by evangelists. Responding to Ibrahim's remarks, MIC leader S. Vell Paari urged the government to punish the right-wing Perkasa president or face the possibility of losing its non-Muslim votes. This has resulted in Ibrahim Ali's alleged statement being investigated under the Sedition Act by the Malaysian police after several police reports lodged.
Religious insensitivity towards Hindus
On 29 March 2013, Perkasa vice-president and Kulim
The Kulim District is a district and town in the state of Kedah, Malaysia. It is located on the southeast of Kedah, bordering Penang. The town of Kulim, a mere east of Penang's capital city, George Town, also forms part of Greater Penang, Ma ...
-Bandar Baharu
The Bandar Baharu District (colloquially ''Bandaq Baqhu'' or ''Bandaq Baru''; once proposed to be renamed as Bandar Crustacea) is a town, district and state assembly constituency at the southernmost end of Kedah, Malaysia. Bandar Baharu is locat ...
MP Zulkifli Noordin has been heavily criticised by several Hindu politicians after giving a religious sermon belittling Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
. A YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
video of the speech has been circulating on social media. In his speech, he explained how he laughed at the Indian traders on why the Hindu gods
Hindu deities are the gods and goddesses in Hinduism. The terms and epithets for deities within the diverse traditions of Hinduism vary, and include Deva, Devi, Ishvara, Ishvari, Bhagavān and Bhagavati.
The deities of Hinduism have evolved ...
could not prevent the trader's shop from being flooded. He also questioned the purity and holiness of the Ganges River
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
, India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, which is considered sacred by the Hindus, claiming that the Ganges River is filled with chicken carcasses and twigs floating. Besides that, Zulkifli also mocked the Hindu god Lord Ganesha
Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu de ...
, by questioning why the Hindus are fighting over buying the deity's statue with the trunk broken. He also questioned the holiness of the Hindu gods when he said when the broken parts of the statue can just be mended by plaster.
The video clip has sparked outrage among many people from the Malaysian Hindu community. PKR vice-president and lawyer N. Surendran wants Zulkifli to be charged with Section 298A of the Penal Code for uttering words which causes disharmony, feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will on grounds of religion. He added that Zulkifli is a close ally with Malaysian Prime Minister
The prime minister of Malaysia ( ms, Perdana Menteri Malaysia; ms, ڤردان منتري مليسيا, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is the head of government of Malaysia. The prime minister directs the executive branch of the feder ...
Datuk Seri
The Malay language has a complex system of styles, titles and honorifics which are used extensively in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the southern Philippines.
Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore and several provinces in Indonesia regul ...
Najib Tun Razak
Dato' Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak ( ms, محمد نجيب بن عبد الرزاق, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset, ; born 23 July 1953) is a Malaysian politician who served as the 6th prime minister of Malays ...
, in which he described that UMNO
The United Malays National Organisation ( Malay: ; Jawi: ; abbreviated UMNO () or less commonly PEKEMBAR), is a nationalist right-wing political party in Malaysia. As the oldest continuous national political party within Malaysia (since its ...
and Barisan Nasional
The National Front ( ms, Barisan Nasional; abbrev: BN) is a political coalition of Malaysia that was founded in 1973 as a coalition of centre-right and right-wing political parties. It is also the third largest political coalition with 30 se ...
must take responsibility for the sacrilegious remarks and mockery of Hinduism.
MIC central working committee member Datuk T. Rajagopalu told Zulkifli to "shut up" and apologise for his insensitive remarks against the Hindus. He added that Zulkifli is unfit to be an MP, describing the lawyer as a half-baked lawyer and not a true Muslim man. MIC vice-president Datuk S.K. Devamany also demanded that Zulkifli apologise and withdraw his remarks. Aside from them, MIC central working committee member P. Kamalanathan condemned Zulkifli's remarks "in the harshest manner possible." Human rights group SUARAM
Suara Rakyat Malaysia, better known by its abbreviation SUARAM (Malay for "Voice of the Malaysian People"), is a human rights organisation in Malaysia created in 1987 after Operation Lalang, when 106 opposition, unions, activist leaders were de ...
also rebuked Zulkifli and urged voters to reject him in the upcoming Malaysian 13th general elections. Hindu Sangam chief said that no legal action were taken against Zulkifli because he is a Muslim and vice-president of Perkasa.
Zulkifli later apologised on 1 April 2013 for hurting the feelings of the Indian community, but only days later another video clip emerged in which Zulkifli was caught uttering the word "Keling
Keling () or Kling is a derogatory term used in parts of Southeast Asia to denote a person originating from the Indian subcontinent. This includes both those from India and overseas Indians. In modern usage it is not commonly capitalised. Th ...
" during a speech, a word deemed to be extremely offensive towards ethnic Indians.
Death of Chin Peng
Perkasa expressed protest and opposed any attempts to bring the remains of the former secretary-general of the Malayan Communist Party
The Malayan Communist Party (MCP), officially the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM), was a Marxist–Leninist and anti-imperialist communist party which was active in British Malaya and later, the modern states of Malaysia and Singapore from ...
Chin Peng
Chin Peng (21 October 1924 – 16 September 2013), born Ong Boon Hua, was a Malayan communist politician, anti-fascist activist and long-time leader of the Malayan Communist Party (MCP) and the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA).
During W ...
back to Malaysia. Ibrahim Ali said that he will never allow Chin Peng to return to Malaysian regardless whether he is alive or dead. He also said any record of Chin Peng should be erased from the annals of the country's history and kept from the eyes of the younger generation, adding that Chin Peng's remains should be "tossed into the air". Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali warned MCA not to upset the Malays by insisting that the Malaysian government should allow Chin Peng's remains to be brought back to Malaysia.
Racial riot Threats
Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali has warned of another race riot if the majority of the Malays remained in poverty, praising Prime Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Najib Razak
Dato' Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak ( ms, محمد نجيب بن عبد الرزاق, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset, ; born 23 July 1953) is a Malaysian politician who served as the 6th prime minister of Malaysi ...
of making the right decision by implementing the new RM31bil Bumiputera Economic Empowerment Plan (BEEP) intended to increase the economic status of the Malays. He said that the 13 May riots occurred because the Malays were not satisfied. Many critics say that the programme has further entrenched race-based policies and inhibit Malaysia's economic competitiveness which then results in a huge brain drain of many non-Malays.
Call on ban of Malay bibles
On 17 October 2013, Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali urged Prime Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
Dato' Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak ( ms, محمد نجيب بن عبد الرزاق, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset, ; born 23 July 1953) is a Malaysian politician who served as the 6th prime minister of Malays ...
to ban the Malay language bible in Malaysia, commenting that the government had been too compromising and give in to the demands of the Christians in Malaysia as they are not satisfied enough because the Christians insisted on using the word "Allah" in the bible, which he claims that "Allah" can only be used by Muslims in Malaysia. He added that the Malays had been "trodden and spat on" by "ungrateful Christians" and demanded the government to ban the Malay language bible as a retaliation. He resorted to name-calling by describing DAP
DAP or Dap may refer to:
Science
* DAP (gene), human gene that encodes death-associated proteins, which mediate programmed cell death
* Diamidophosphate, phosphorylating compound
* Diaminopimelic acid, amino acid derivative of lysine
* Diamin ...
Secretary General Lim Guan Eng
Lim Guan Eng (; born 8 December 1960) is a Malaysian politician and accountant from the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Bagan, Member of t ...
as a "pig" for defending the Christians right to use the word "Allah" in the bible. He also mocked the Christians saying that the Christians insisted that they use the word "Allah" because they had no name for their own God.
Criticism
On 9 July 2010, the group was labelled 'militant' by former US Ambassador to Malaysia John Malott.
The group has been criticised by former parliamentary leader of the opposition Lim Kit Siang
Lim Kit Siang (; born 20 February 1941) is a Malaysian politician. He is the longest-serving leader of the opposition in Malaysia, having held the position for a total of 29 years on three separate occasions. He is also former Secretary-Genera ...
from Democratic Action Party
The Democratic Action Party (abbreviation: DAP; ms, Parti Tindakan Demokratik; ; ta, ஜனநாயக செயல் கட்சி) is a Centre-left politics, centre-left social democracy, social democratic political party in Malaysia. ...
(DAP) of Pakatan Rakyat
The People's Alliance ( ms, Pakatan Rakyat; abbrev: PR) was an informal Malaysian political coalition and successor to Barisan Alternatif (BA). The political coalition was formed by the People's Justice Party (PKR), Democratic Action Party (DAP ...
, for re-using the religion, race and nationalism card when it's been "proven obsolete and irrelevant in bringing progress and change to Malay social and economic development". It had the tacit support of the former Prime Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Mahathir Mohamed when the latter attended its inauguration ceremony.
State Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia
The Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia ( en, Malaysian People's Movement Party, commonly abbreviated as GERAKAN or less commonly as PGRM) is a liberal political party in Malaysia. Formed in 1968, Gerakan gained prominence in the 1969 general electio ...
(Gerakan) official and lawyer Baljit Singh has condemned Perkasa as the Malaysian version of the white American supremacist movement Ku Klux Klan
The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and ...
, which openly advocates racism, religious extremism and fascism. He added that Perkasa incites racial hatred and social disharmony by threatening to wage a holy war against Christians and other ethnic and religious minorities in Malaysia.
Perkasa had also received backlash from two ethnic-Chinese Barisan Nasional
The National Front ( ms, Barisan Nasional; abbrev: BN) is a political coalition of Malaysia that was founded in 1973 as a coalition of centre-right and right-wing political parties. It is also the third largest political coalition with 30 se ...
leaders, namely Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
Gerakan chief Datuk Teng Hock Nan and MCA deputy secretary Loh Chew June, whom they labelled the right-wing Malay group as "racists". Perkasa Youth Chief Arman Azha Abu Hanifah then demanded apology from the duo. Loh responded that he did not need apology as Perkasa's actions were to segregate everyone and hampering the concept of ' 1Malaysia' mooted by Malaysian Prime Minister
The prime minister of Malaysia ( ms, Perdana Menteri Malaysia; ms, ڤردان منتري مليسيا, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is the head of government of Malaysia. The prime minister directs the executive branch of the feder ...
Najib Razak
Dato' Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak ( ms, محمد نجيب بن عبد الرزاق, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset, ; born 23 July 1953) is a Malaysian politician who served as the 6th prime minister of Malaysi ...
. Loh also lambasted its president Ibrahim Ali for flashing the 'keris' (Malay dagger) during the group's congress which may stoke racial tension in Malaysia.
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Perkasa
2008 establishments in Malaysia
Non-profit organisations based in Malaysia
Political organisations based in Malaysia
Political advocacy groups in Malaysia
Far-right politics in Malaysia
Discrimination in Malaysia
Racism in Malaysia
Anti-Christian sentiment in Asia
Anti-Chinese sentiment in Asia
Anti-Indian sentiment in Asia
Anti-Hindu sentiment
Persecution by Muslims