Perkasa seems to be getting more and more dissatisfied with Umno’s performance in defending malay rights. A coalition of Malay rights groups (including Perkasa) plans to submit a memorandum to the government, touching on issues like the abolition of vernacular schools and the limitation of National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loan exemptions to only bumiputeras.
As of 2013, Perkasa claims to have a membership of around 500,000 (an impressive feat considering it has only been around since 2008). If the numbers prove to be true, perhaps instead of supplementing Umno, Perkasa should become a political party and give Umno a run for its money
I know many of us would balk at the idea of seeing a Perkasa candidate on our ballot paper. However, a hallmark of a democratic society is the presence of competitive and unique political parties (ethnic supremacist groups included).
Case in point, the United Kingdom. The UK has the British National Party (BNP), which is their very own version of Perkasa. The reason I liken BNP to Perkasa is because amongst other things, the former advocates white nationalism.
With regard to legal immigrants settled in UK, the BNP “recognises the right of legally settled and law-abiding minorities to remain in the UK and enjoy the full protection of the law, on the understanding that the indigenous population of Britain has the right to remain the majority population of our nation”.
It offers, however, voluntary repatriation where “generous grants to those of foreign descent resident here who wish to leave permanently”.
It is important to note that BNP has no representative in the House of Commons or the European Parliament. This could possibly mean that the people of UK generally do not subscribe to BNP’s principles.
Only by running for elections will Perkasa know if the people truly supports its ideologies. Perhaps Perkasa could outdo Umno as its far-right stance may appeal to certain segments of society more than Umno’s new centrist direction under the command of Najib Abdul Razak.
It wouldn’t be fair to gauge Perkasa’s wealth of potential just by looking at its president's failure to recapture Pasir Mas in the 13th general election.
After all, just because Ibrahim Ali lost his beloved parliamentary seat (which he has been contesting in without fail since 1986) to a political novice doesn’t mean the people don’t want him, right?
A candidate for every parliamentary seat?
Futhermore, considering Perkasa supposedly has 500,000 members, it shouldn’t be too difficult to field a candidate for every parliamentary seat up for grabs in the next general election.
Even if 60 percent of Perkasa members happen to also be Umno members, in the event of a mass exodus to Umno, Perkasa would still have 200,000 members give or take a few.
In the hypothetical situation whereby Perkasa fields 222 candidates for election to be members of Parliament, the Malay supremacist group would still have plenty of manpower to go around campaigning and garnering for support. Talk about strength in numbers!
Instead of complaining and whining that Umno does a dreadful job in upholding the bumiputera agenda, Perkasa should play a more active role in the 14th general election and not shy away from the challenge. I’d honestly love to see the reception of the rakyat (people) towards Perkasa.
JOSHUA WU is a first year law student who blogs at www.rebuttedopinions.wordpress.com
