Malay rights pressure group Perkasa will not endorse any political party for now as the Malay community is undergoing a leadership crisis and is haru-biru (in chaos), Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali said.

Instead the former Pasir Mas MP wants Perkasa members to strengthen the NGO with new members, saying they will be “the deciding factor” in the next general election.

"The two Malay parties (PAS and Umno) are in in disarray and can't be relied upon. First Umno, (then deputy prime minister) Muhyiddin Yassin was sacked, and many people were sacked.

“It is chaotic as they are facing economic crisis along with 1MDB scandal, and all.

"On the other side, there is a leadership crisis as well. PAS is split, the leaders forget their bai'ah (oath) and things are chaotic as well.

"So for the time being, we ask all Malays to calm down, don't make any noise and join Perkasa in droves," he said in a speech officiating the Selayang Perkasa annual general meeting in Taman Tun Teja, Rawang today.

Perkasa which was formed in 2008, after the 12th general election, was mainly made up of Umno members who were not satisfied with the leadership of then prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi ( photo ).

Ibrahim added Perkasa has yet to decide if it wants to be a political party.

However the former Pasir Mas MP declared that it is now a 'political NGO'.

"Even if we are not a political party, we are a political NGO. Now, everyone should strengthen their respective divisions. We will announce who will get our votes closer to the next general election. It will be based on a critical assessment of which party we feel can take the best care of our race and religion.

"If there are good leaders, we might not choose just a single party. But if the leaders are the same, 'dua kali lima', better let Perkasa contest," he said to applause from almost 100 delegates.

Ibrahim, who has a target of one million members from 191 divisions next year, also reminded Umno not to neglect Malays.

"It is easy to take care of the Malays. Just address the issues they aren't satisfied with, such as the income and development gap between the urban and rural population, and the gap between the rich and poor.

"If Umno addresses all these issues, Malays will support it, in return. But if they continue to preach mere rhetoric, then the people will not feel they were taken care of," he warned.

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