Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz has ridiculed MCA vice-president Donald Lim’s suggestion to establish a Chinese equivalent of Malay rights pressure group Perkasa.

parliament gobind singh ban over nazri mistake 251108 04 Dismissing it as “ridiculous”, Nazri said the suggestion would only cause racial tension among the Malays and Chinese at a time when the government is trying to defuse this.

"We want to get rid of Perkasa and (yet) he wants to (encourage) extremism," said Nazri, when approached by reporters in the Parliament lobby today.

"What about that extremist Indian group? Let's also form Kadazan extremist groups, Iban and (others). Let's all fight- lah , if that is what (Lim) wants.”         

Nazri said that Lim, as a senior BN leader, should not have made such an inflammatory suggestion.

“Two wrongs do not make a right,” said Nazri.

donald lim Last Friday, Lim told Chinese newspapers that the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall should take a lead role to counter Perkasa’s aggressive racial posturing, but the association has scotched the idea .

Perkasa has become a major stumbling block to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s economic reform efforts, as it has staunchly opposed his proposals to gradually lift affirmative action policies to encourage competition.

Non-Malays 'can’t be sidelined'

Nazri, however, was unable to state a clear position when asked if BN should steer clear of Perkasa or risk negative perceptions by being associated with it.

“I don’t know... There is freedom of association in this country,” he said.

mahathir ikmal presidential lecture 290410 On former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s suggestion that Umno should engage Perkasa leaders more, Nazri pointed out that the BN does not represent Malays only.

“Who are the citizens of this country? Are they all Malays? There are non-Malays as well. (Does he mean) that you people have no say at all? That you are a second-class citizen? That will be the case if you agree with his (Mahathir’s) statement.

“No! We cannot tolerate this (kind of position even if it comes) from the former prime minister or anyone else.

"This is a multi-racial country. For a leader to say that we need to engage more Malays, what are you trying to say exactly? Are you trying to say the non-Malays are not an important component of our country? I think that's unacceptable.”

Nazri also warned that the government will take action against Perkasa if it makes seditious statements.

In this regard, he encouraged all citizens who feel that Perkasa is a threat to the country, to lodge a police report.

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