Malay rights pressure group Perkasa's 48-hour deadline for a MCA leader, a Gerakan leader and two Chinese dailies to apologise for calling it a racist organisation, expired today without a reply.

This has prompted the group to follow up on the matter, but in a gentle way.

Perkasa now intends to provide a copy of the Federal Constitution to the two politicians and the two Chinese dailies, because they were "ignorant of the constitution" for calling the group racist.

This is a far cry from the angry demonstration it held against DAP-led Penang government, which once saw effigy of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng being burned.

NONE During a press conference today, Arman Azha Abu Hanifah ( left ) said copies of the constitution, costing RM25 each, would be delivered to the four subjects next week.

"Perkasa wants to explain to them that we are not extremist and racist," he said.

Elaborating, Arman Azha said Perkasa was a organisation established to uphold Article 153 of the Federal Constitution which spells out the special position of the Malays and Bumiputeras.

Perkasa downplays outburst

Arman was referring to Gerakan vice-president Teng Hock Nam and MCA Youth deputy secretary-general Loh Chew June who criticised the speeches made during Perkasa's inaugural AGM last Saturday.

The duo said Perkasa AGM was also filled with speeches that went against the 1Malaysia concept.

Among others, Teng claimed that former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad's speech during the event was "disgusting".

The statements of the two leaders were prominently carried in Sin Chew Daily and China Press .

Despite initially demanding an apology, Arman today tried to downplay the two leader's outburst.

"I have consulted the grassroots of both political parties and they believe that the two politicians do not represent them (in calling us racist). The two leaders don't have full support of their grassroots," said Arman.