Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali says he will quit Umno if the government accepts the three harmony bills proposed by the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC).

 

"I, as Perkasa secretary-general, will quit Umno. Thousands more will quit Umno.

 

"This is ... out of anger over the stupidity of the Malay leaders who constantly follow the suggestions of those who want to weaken Malays and Muslims.

 

"Perkasa believes Malay and Muslim NGOs will also not hesitate to reject the existing government,” he said in a statement last night.

 

Syed Hassan was responding to NUCC committee on law and policy deputy chairperson Lim Chee Wee who said Perkasa's recent threat to behead those who "insult" Islam would be punishable under NUCC’s proposed Racial and Religious Hate Crime Bill.

 

The other laws the committee has drafted are the National Harmony and Reconciliation Bill, and the National Harmony and Reconciliation Commission Bill.

 

Perkasa information chief Ruslan Kassim had at rally in Shah Alam on Monday threatened to " chop off " the heads of those who "insulted" Islam and the Selangor sultan.

 

'Undermining Malay power'

 

The rally was in support of Selangor Islamic Council (Mais), which has refused to return over 300 copies of the Bible containing the word ‘Allah’ confiscated from Bible Society Malaysia.

 

Syed Hassan mocked Lim ( left ) for his remarks, saying: "His language seems pretty. Does he think NUCC's (proposals) will necessarily be accepted by the government?

 

"Who recognises NUCC anyway? The Malay and Muslims NGOs do not recognise NUCC. Don't be so full of yourself," he said.

 

He also warned if the government accepts the proposals from the NUCC - a council set up by Prime Minister Najib Razak - Malays and Muslims will get the short end of the stick.

 

The council was established after Najib pledged to repeal the Sedition Act in 2012.

                                                                                                           

Syed Hassan claimed that NUCC was out to make Umno lose its support base and urged the government not to fall into this "trap".

 

He lamented the civil rights reform in the last few years, including the abolition of the Internal Security Act 1960 and the Restricted Residence Act 1933 and introduction of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, was aimed at weakening Malay political power.

 

Syed Hassan also questioned NUCC's harmony bills agenda instead of mooting tougher laws against those who question the rights of Malays and Muslims.

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