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An interracial council has been formed by Malay rights group Perkasa and two relatively unknown non-Malay NGOs and this is "proof" that Perkasa is not racist, its president Ibrahim Ali said.

Perkasa today teamed up with Malaysia New Era Chinese Association (Percisma) and New Indian Welfare and Charity Association (Perinbam) to form a Malaysian InterRacial NGOs Council (Mirac), which it said would meet once a month to discuss inter racial issues.

"Previously, there was a perception that Perkasa is racist. Now our friends will defend us as well," Ibrahim said, referring to Percisma and Perinbam.

However, he denied that Perkasa was pressured into forming Mirac at a meeting it had with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak yesterday.

Respecting each other’s religion and upholding the federal constitution were among the five points in the charter that the NGOs signed today.

The charter also promised to reject nepotism, corruption and abuse of power.

Percisma president Andy Choy Chee Wai and Perinbam president U Thamotharan both stressed that the alliance would herald a “new era” in Malaysia for racial unity.

“Before they (NGOs) met me, they were also angry with me (due to perception). But when they met me they fell in love with me in five minutes,” Ibrahim said.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim also reprimanded online news portals for allegedly “spinning” news, especially relating to Perkasa.

“You make Malaysian people stressed with your news. Sometimes when I read your news, my face turns into one like that of a tiger,” he said.

“Don’t write news that stresses people. Write news that make people happy,” he said.

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