Penang Opposition leader Azhar Ibrahim has condemned a local Malay NGO for proposing that the DAP fields at least five Malay candidates in the coming general election.

NONE Azhar ( right ), who is state Umno secretary, said the Penang Malay Congress (PMC) issued the comment because it was an "agent" of the DAP, but this was immediately denied by the NGO.

According the Umno leader, the PMC, which comprises Malay intellectuals and professionals, was formed by DAP so that its Malay members could contest in the coming election.

"If they want to contest, come to Umno areas and challenge us. Don't say Umno and Barisan Nasional are not relevant anymore.

“They need to realise who they are," the Penaga assemblyperson was quoted as saying in yesterday’s issue of Malay-language daily Sinar Harian .

Nobody’s puppet

Incensed by Azhar's remark, PMC president Rahmad Isahak described it as a clear indication that Umno was merely interested in playing politics instead of looking into the plight of the Malays in Penang.

Rahmad expressed sadness that a veteran Malay Umno politician like Azhar was belittling, beyond reasonable limits, an NGO that was fighting for Malay rights.

The PMC is "independent and neutral" and does not receive aid from any political party, he stressed.

"We are not willing to be anybody's puppet, nor are we linked to any political party, not even to a Malay party, what more the DAP," he said.

Rahmad said following the PMC's call for more Malay candidates to contest in the coming election, Umno should have tried to engage with the NGO, instead of condemning its efforts.

"Will Umno be responsible if the Malays in Penang lose their political power?" he asked.

"Umno remains relevant among the Malays in Penang. However, it is dependent on the performance of its allies in BN, who cannot help it regain the state leadership," he said.

"Azhar prefers to play politics and is willing to see the Malays lose out in Penang if Umno no longer has power here," he added.

Azhar told to quit politics

zulkifli mohd noor pc 260811 02 The PMC's call was raised by state DAP central committee member Zulkifli Mohd Noor ( left ), who appealed to PKR to return some of its seats to the party, especially those in mixed constituencies.

Claiming to represent the voices of 640,000 Malays in Penang, the PMC vowed to continue its demand for more Malay candidates from DAP, as all of the party's existing MPs and state representatives are either Chinese or Indians.

Rahmad also called on Azhar to quit politics and stay at home to "take care of his grandchildren" for denigrating a sincere call to improve the socio-political situation of Penang Malays.

He said Azhar would continue to confuse the Malays if he were to go on speaking without basis.

As for his organisation contesting the election in Umno's areas, Rahmad said the veteran politician had forgotten that PMC is an NGO, not a political party.

He added that it was fortunate the Malays were now able to differentiate between good and bad leaders, and even warned that there was a possibility Umno might lose more seats in the next election, which is widely speculated to be called long before the due date in 2013.