Malay rights lobbyist Perkasa said it plans to field 50 candidates as independents in the next general election.

Its president Ibrahim Ali, who also intends to contest, said the group will be called 'Perkasa independent candidates'.

He said they will not ride on the platform of any political party but will move as a NGO as they want to act outside the box.

"It is possible Perkasa will field a group of independent candidates in the 14th general election.

"Our target will be Malay majority areas that will be contested by PAS and Pakatan Harapan.

"We will penetrate those areas. We believe Malay areas that win will not threaten the Malays," said Ibrahim at Perkasa's seventh annual general meeting in Stadium Mini Titiwangsa today.

Ibrahim, a former Pasir Mas MP, had in the past quit Umno to join PAS, and quit again to be an independent. 

He thus described himself as a "sexy divorcee" as he has been "courted" by several parties to run on their ticket.

Our candidates will have freedom

Ibrahim said the current political climate makes it suitable to offer "alternative" candidates for the public.

Should Perkasa's candidates make it to Parliament, they will be able to raise issues freely without having to toe the party line.

"Independents make good MPs because they have no ties to any party. The Malaysian system relies too much on the winning party.

"So MPs from Umno, DAP or PAS are not free. (Independents) are good because they can speak freely," he said.

Ibrahim said the decision to field candidates was a compromise of sorts with calls for the movement to become a political party.

"There are calls for us to become a political party. We rejected it because we want to be a NGO. Political parties keep forming alliances that doesn't suit our taste," he said.

On whether fielding candidates would violate the Registrar of Societies rules, Ibrahim said there was no conflict because candidates would be contesting as independents.

"They will use logos provided by the Election Commission," he said.