KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 11 — Perkasa accused the government today of being selective in curbing racism, claiming that no non-Malay has faced action for insensitive conduct towards the Malays.
The group also threatened to stage a protest outside the Home Ministry if the government refuses to entertain its demands.
“Perkasa is deeply disturbed by the government’s action where there are many similar cases involving the non-Malays, but no action has been taken,” said Perkasa deputy president Abdul Rahman told a press conference here.
He then cited the case of songwriter Wee Meng Chee, or Namewee, who allegedly produced a music video containing racial slurs.
“When Perkasa talks about Malay and Bumiputera rights, we are accused of being racist. But when Chinese groups reject a uniform school system and defend Chinese schools, they are not seen as racist,” said Abdul Rahman.
On November 8, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz told Parliament that the government had taken action against National Civics Bureau (BTN) assistant director Hamim Husain on October 6 for having allegedly uttered racial remarks against the country’s Chinese and Indian communities.
He said that Hamim had been suspended from his duties since October 6.
Hamim had lodged a police report against The Malaysian Insider, claiming that his words had been “misinterpreted” and that his reported remarks were made within the confines of a private function.
The civil servant had, during a recent closed-door Puteri Umno function, referred to the Chinese and Indian communities as “Si Mata Sepet” and “Si Botol” respectively when asking Puteri Umno members to approach the non-Malays for votes.
Namewee had posted a video in apparent response to the SMK Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra incident.In the case of the two school principals who were also accused of uttering racist remarks, Nazri said they had been suspended and put on desk duty since August and there were no plans to charge the government officials for sedition.
Siti Inshah Mansor, the principal of SMK Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra in Johor, had allegedly told students during assembly that the Chinese could return to China and likened Hindus to “dogs” because of their prayer strings.
Another principal in Kedah had allegedly told off several Chinese students and accused them of disrespecting the Muslims by eating in the school canteen during the fasting month.
Today, Perkasa also questioned the government’s refusal to charge Namewee.
Namewee had recently posted online a video entitled “Nah”, which contained his trademark utterances of vulgarities in response to the incident involving the Johor principal and claims of racial taunts.
“When action was taken against the two principals, we want certain action too against Namewee,” said Perkasa Youth chief Arman Azha Abu Hanifa.
Perkasa previously lodged a police report against Namewee over the video.
“After Hari Raya Haji, Perkasa Youth will meet with the Attorney-General and the home minister to submit a memorandum or maybe we will gather outside the home ministry to express our unhappiness,” said Arman.
He also called on the Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to set aside political interests in making decisions related to the national security.
“The government must act in the interest national security not politics. We want justice to be the basis in taking action,” said Arman.
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