‘Malays split due to failure of existing Malay parties’
PUCHONG: The split of the Malays is not due to the formation of the latest Malay based party – Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra). It is due to the failure of the existing Malay parties, claimed Putra’s Wiranita chief, Intan Rahmah Ali.
“I stress it here that the split of the Malays is not due to Putra but it is due to the Malay parties that failed to uphold the dignity of this race,” she said in a statement.
The party was formed last year and is led by its president Datuk Ibrahim Ali.
She said this in response to claims that the plethora of Malay parties would split the community.
“We cannot stop them. Malaysia is a democracy. Anyone can form a party as long as it is approved by the Registrar of Societies (ROS),” said Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaacob yesterday.
“But the more the Malay parties, the more split the Malays would be,” he told reporters during a press conference held at Putra World Trade Centre.
Intan also rubbished the notion of Umno as a united Malay opposition front.
“Clearly the people have rejected Umno as seen in the 14th general election. The people’s wishes have changed with time.
“I believe that the present Umno leadership is in denial mode that the people have rejected them. They still believe that the rejection was due (former Umno president) Datuk Seri Najib Razak.”
This she said is proof that Umno deviated from the original struggle to the extent that the Malays reject them.
“Umno now relies on its lifeline by cooperating with PAS,” she added.
She reasoned that the Malays were also split due to power struggle, titles and infighting.
“For the sake of monetary gains, they are willing to kill off one another,” she also added.
She pointed that Umno is going through a phase similar to other over 50-year-old parties underwent. She compared Umno to Indonesian party, Golkar – a former Indonesian ruling party for 30 years that has become a shadow of its true potential.
As for Umno and its coalition, BN, Intan said that it is impossible for the former ruling coalition to gain the trust of the people as its leaders lived a lavish lifestyle and the people are at the brink of poverty.
She also said that it was unlikely for the people to support BN even if Pas joins BN.
The Islamist party has its coalition – Gagasan Sejahtera with several other parties.
