DAP alleges that Umno’s claim of distancing itself from Perkasa is just a political gimmick by the BN to garner non-Malay votes.

NONE Its national assistant treasurer Nga Kor Ming ( right ) said in a media statement today that Umno is too deeply linked with Perkasa to break the political bonds.

Nga points to the fact that Perkasa members are largely from Umno, and that their de facto advisor is former Umno president Dr Mahathir Mohammad.

He also highlights how the right-wing NGO has the relentless support of Umno mouthpiece Utusan Melayu .

“With all these intimate relations, it is hard to believe that Umno now wishes to denounce and defuse their relationship with Perkasa,” he said.

“It is my belief that this is another election gimmick by BN to trap the non-Malay ... and a well calculated strategy to attract the conservative-right wing Malay, which had long been deserted by the moderate and patriotic Malay power base,” said Nga, who is also party state secretary and Taiping MP.

He believes that Umno is playing both sides of the political game, to attract both the Malay votes through Perkasa, while at the same time trying to get the support of non-Malays through its Umno’s president Najib Abdul Razak’s political banner of 1Malaysia.