By Qayum Rahman
KUALA LUMPUR: The fact that former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was heaping praises on Perkasa simply means he himself practises race-based politics, according to Balik Pulau MP Yusmadi Yusoff.
Yusmadi said Mahathir had claimed that Perkasa’s fiery statements had managed to attract Malay voters in Hulu Selangor which, in turn, helped Barisan Nasional wrest the parliamentary seat in last Sunday’s by-election.
“They are two peas in a pod. Dr Mahathir himself is a racist. That’s why he is praising Perkasa and supporting it,” he told FMT.
Accusing Mahathir of being the brain and executor of race-based policies, he said the former premier was “so soaked in it” that it was now his only piece of political capital.
Yusmadi said Dr Mahathir and Perkasa are not acceptable to many groups, including some within Umno, who reject racial issues.
He said Perkasa was formed out of the Umno’s rejects and Mahathir merely used the organisation as a platform to project himself.
"I see Perkasa as an errand boy for Mahathir and his henchmen to participate in politics because Umno is no longer giving him room in its journey. Mahathir is able to cooperate with Perkasa because both share a common struggle to ensure the perpetuity of racial discrimination,” he said.
He said BN’s hollow win in Hulu Selangor was not because of Perkasa but had to do with the millions of ringgit splurged on the rakyat. “Don’t BN, Perkasa or Dr Mahathir himself dare deny this. BN’s win was because they bribed the rakyat. But the rakyat are wise and able to weigh their (Umno-BN) actions,” he said.
