Media statement by Lim Guan Eng in Petaling Jaya on Sunday, 19^th September 2010: 

UMNO's submission to Perkasa and Utusan Malaysia open support shows the Perkasa mentality within BN and that 1Malaysia is an empty slogan to win votes 

DAP is not surprised at UMNO Secretary-General Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor's reversal of his previous stand against Perkasa by denying that he had said his Barisan Nasional (BN) colleagues agreed to keep the ruling coalition from Perkasa. After all Tengku Adnan had no choice but to support Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's statement yesterday that Umno did not want to stir conflict with any non-governmental organisation (NGO) such as Perkasa.

This only proves UMNO has all along being behind Perkasa. UMNO's submission to Perkasa and Utusan Malaysia open support shows the strength of the Perkasa mentality within BN and that 1Malaysia is an empty slogan to win votes. What is surprising however is that this support and the Perkasa mentality is prevalent even amongst all component parties of BN as explained by Tengku Adnan in the Malaysian Insider on Perkasa, "When we had a meeting with BN secretaries-general, we never talked even a little bit that we wanted to distance ourselves from anybody."

Clearly all the BN component parties like MCA are just playing a big "sandiwara" opposing Perkasa outside when inside meetings, they keep silent and submissively support UMNO's pro-Perkasa position. This Perkasa mentality in BN is dangerous as it has led to public and open denigration of Malaysians from minority groups.

This Perkasa mentality has resulted in those making racist remarks escape unpunished. When Najib's special officer Nasir Safar said that Indians were beggars and Chinese women sell their bodies, Nasir was not punished for such seditious remarks and only resigned. When the school principals abused their position to make racist remarks against Indians and Chinese, no action was taken.

No action was taken agains the Kulai school principal who said during the school assembly that Indians were like dogs and Chinese students can go back to China. Similarly no action was taken against the Kedah school principal for making similar racist statements against Chinese students. Another teacher in a Bukit Jambul school in Penang was only given a memo when he used foul language against students.

How can you reward good if you do not punish bad? Is the reason why no action has been taken against these racist and extremist statements because of Perkasa's open support and demonstrations of the right of Nasir and the school principals to make such racist and extremist statements.

Many Malaysians know that Perkasa is racist and extremist when they do not condemn but openly support the school principals and Nasir for calling Indians beggars and dogs, Chinese women sell their bodies and to go back to China. More serious is that UMNO and BN continues to support Perkasa despite such racist and extremist positions taken by Perkasa.

Malaysians must stand up and unite against the racism and extremism as embodied not only by Perkasa but those that support Perkasa such as UMNO and BN. BN may feel that this is just a political game to win votes and the next general elections. However the consequences are dire if not nipped in the bud. There is but only one short step from dehumanizing Malaysians by describing them as beggars, selling their bodies and even dogs to the final militant step practiced by those who preach the language of violence.

*Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary General & MP for Bagan