Malay right-wing NGO Perkasa today defended Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s association with it as all right, despite heavy criticism from Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

“Why is it only with Perkasa that it is a problem to Lim? As PM, Najib only cannot get close to terrorist groups. Perkasa is not a terrorist group. Is Lim trying to say that Perkasa is a terrorist group?” asked its secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali in a statement.

rosmah perkasa 190212 Syed Hassan argued that Najib’s spouse, Rosmah Mansor, attended not only their event but also events by other NGOs prior to it without Lim raising any ruckus.

“As PM, Najib is responsible to all levels of society, which also includes NGOs of various races, including Hua Zhong and others,” argued Syed Hassan.

He turned the tables on Lim by accusing the latter of attempting to win over the Chinese by playing up the Perkasa bogeyman.

        

“Perkasa views Lim’s statements on Najib playing with fire by supporting us as another way this son of Malaysia’s chief racist is using to win over the votes of the Chinese.

“His statement is so that Chinese voters will stay away from MCA. To us, Lim is the one playing with fire,” Syed Hassan said.

    

He was responding to criticisms levelled by Lim that Najib was playing with fire by supporting Perkasa.

In particular, Lim referred to Rosmah’s attendance at Perkasa’s fund-raising dinner last Saturday and said such endorsement did not gel with Najib’s call for moderation.