Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa (Malay for "Mighty Native Organisation" or better known by its acronym: Perkasa), is a Malay supremacist non-governmental organisation (NGO) that was formed by Ibrahim Ali in the aftermath of the 2008 general election (GE12). This conservative, extreme-right, ethnic Malay organisation is led by its president Ibrahim Ali. The group is reported to have a membership of 700,000.
The major objectives for establishing Perkasa, according to Ibrahim Ali, are to act as "protectors of Article 153 of the Constitution of Malaysia" and to defend the rights of Bumiputera from being eroded by certain quarters. Perkasa is said to be fighting and defending the rights of the Malays which they feel are being challenged by non-Malays in Malaysia.
Perkasa has recently become infamous for its racial and religious provocations against non-Malays, especially Chinese and Indians; and non-Muslims, especially Christians through vocal, physical and violent means. Despite the continuous offensive and seditious remarks by its chief Ibrahim Ali and its members that have threatened social harmony, no legal action has been taken by the Malaysian authorities so far. It has been branded a fascist organisation by MPs from the Malaysian federal opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in the past.
In September 2010, Ibrahim Ali claimed that 60% of Perkasa members were United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) members. However, both Ibrahim Ali and UMNO's secretary-general Tengku Adnan denied any ties between UMNO and Perkasa although both of them agreed that several UMNO members are also Perkasa members.
Despite Perkasa's close association with UMNO, Ibrahim Ali during Perkasa's 2013 annual general assembly, had alleged that UMNO had shown weakness and become "toothless" in their efforts to safeguard the rights of the Malays and had implied the possibility of Perkasa becoming a full-fledged political party to participate in 2018 general election (GE14), going head-to-head against UMNO. In 2018, after the GE14 which saw the downfall of Barisan Nasional (BN) and UMNO government, Ibrahim Ali finally founded Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (PUTRA); a new party that based on the UMNO original constitution to serve as an alternative to the Malays and the new party registration was approved in 2019.
Leadership Ibrahim Ali, the former Pasir Mas Member of Parliament, is the founder and first president of Perkasa. The other leader of Perkasa is its Deputy President Dato' Fuad Hassan (2008–2014). Ibrahim has attempted twice to resign as Perkasa president in 2013 and again in 2018, but both were rejected by Perkasa's supreme council.
Recent events On 12 February 2010, some 1,000 members from Perkasa and Selangor UMNO marched from the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque to the Selangor State Secretariat Building in Shah Alam, Selangor, to protest the Selangor state government's handling of the quit rent issue involving Yayasan Basmi Kemiskinan (YBK). On 29 April 2010, Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali filed a defamation suit, seeking RM 10mil worth of damages against Malaysian English daily The Sun after the newspaper allegedly described Ibrahim Ali as a leader of a "chauvinist" group and he was "extreme in championing the rights of a certain race". On 28 September 2010, a group of 50 Perkasa members protested against controversial Malaysian rapper Wee Meng Chee (Namewee) by torching his posters outside the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) where Namewee was about to speak at a youth forum. On 25 April 2011, about 100 Perkasa members and supporters held a protest outside the MCA headquarters in Kuala Lumpur after the party's call to boycott the Malaysian Malay language daily Utusan Malaysia, in response to the daily's "1 Melayu, 1 Bumi" initiative. Perkasa secretary general Syed Hassan Syed Ali defended Utusan Malaysia, saying that the newspaper is not being racist as it only defended Malay rights enshrined in the constitution. On 14 August 2011, Perkasa staged a protest by burning copies of the Malaysian English-language daily The Star and to show dissatisfaction of the English newspaper which promoted non-halal food outlets that serve pork on its dining supplement for Muslims during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Its president Ibrahim Ali then urged all Muslims to brand The Star newspaper as anti-Muslim and anti-Malay for disturbing the sensitivities of the Muslims. On 26 February 2012, a group of UMNO and Perkasa members attacked and injured demonstrators and members of the press during an anti-Lynas protest at the Speaker's Corner, Padang Kota Lama, Penang. Two journalists from the Chinese-language daily Kwong Wah Yit Poh were beaten and injured. There were news reports where Perkasa members threatened protesters with foul language and racist remarks. On 6 April 2012, Perkasa members were reported attacking PKR members during an official launch of the PKR's new branch office in Jalan Putra, Alor Setar, Kedah. On 10 May 2012, a group of 30 Perkasa members hold a mock funeral ceremony in front of Chief Minister of Penang Lim Guan Eng's residence at Pinhorn Road and also the latter's office in Komtar, Penang as a sign of protest to show dissatisfaction of the latter's administration of the Penang state government. On 30 June 2012, a group of Penang Perkasa members protested against Chief Minister of Penang Lim Guan Eng by carrying banners and posters at the Teluk Bahang market in Penang, which ended up in a scuffle with shoving and pushing. The latter claimed that someone had roughly brushed against him from behind when he was about to leave. On 2 September 2012, PKR members reported that Perkasa members were attacking members of the public attending a tazkirah (Muslim religious sermon) by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at a mosque in Alor Setar, Kedah. On 8 March 2013, a group representing various NGOs - Perkasa, National Silat Federation (Pesaka), Pertubuhan Kebajikan Islamiah dan Dakwah (Pekida), Penang Muslim Network (JMPP), Federation of Peninsula Malay Students (GPMS), Penang Pencinta Malaysia Association (Pencinta), and Pertubuhan Kebajikan Al-Ehsan staged a protest at Komtar, Penang to demand an apology from Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng over the latter's call to allow Christians in Malaysia to use the word "Allah". They allegedly tried to break the glass doors to gain entry into the Penang state administration office in an attempt to hand in a "clock" to Lim Guan Eng(giving a clock to person in Chinese culture means wishing death to the said person's parents). On 14 October 2013, a group of Perkasa members gathered outside the Federal Court when the Court of Appeal ruled that the Catholic Church is prohibited from using the word "Allah" in the Malay language section of its weekly newspaper, Herald. Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali shouted cries of "Praise be to Allah", saying that the people should stop bringing up the issue and urged politicians not to politicise the issue. On 18 January 2014, about 600 Penang UMNO and Perkasa members staged a street protest with provocative banners against Machang Bubok PKR assemblyman Lee Khai Loon in Seberang Jaya, Penang. Earlier, Lee Khai Loon has organised a flash mob by stuffing kangkung (water spinach) into an effigy of Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in Alma, Bukit Mertajam. Some of the banners contained racial provocative sentiments. Penang UMNO Youth secretary Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir warned Lee and Pakatan Rakyat not to provoke the Malay race by ridiculing their leaders, Islam, the police and other Malay institutions, threatening another 13 May riots. On 19 January 2014, two men were assaulted during a rally held by UMNO and Perkasa in support of the Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's kangkung remarks in Alma, Bukit Mertajam. The protesters had earlier gathered at a food court in Alma and then proceeding to Machang Bubok assemblyman Lee Khai Loon's service centre. The group also burnt a paper effigy of the latter. On 21 January 2014, a group of protesters from UMNO Youth, Perkasa, Pekida, Persatuan Mukabuku and Al-Ehsan staged a violent demonstration and assaulted Penang Island Municipal Council enforcement officers during the demolition of illegal food stalls at Teluk Awak Flat in Jalan Hassan Abas, Teluk Bahang, Penang. However, no arrest has been made by the police since. On 21 May 2014, Penang Perkasa Youth Chief and several Penang UMNO members had staged a protest in front of the Penang State Assembly Building over Seri Delima state assemblyman RSN Rayer's "UMNO celaka" remark. They stormed into the state assembly hall by crashing through the gates of the building. They have also demanded apology from RSN Rayer. On 12 October 2014, a rowdy group which consists of members of Perkasa, UMNO Youth and Persatuan Gabungan Melayu Islam Pulau Pinang harassed and chased away demonstrators in a peaceful gathering to repeal the Sedition Act organised by Gerakan Hapus Akta Hasutan (GHAH) in Speaker's Corner, Padang Kota Lama, Penang. Two British women who were passing by were physically assaulted and called Jews by the mob. However, the police did not prevent the violent disruption and only intervened when the situation got worse when the mob began pushing, chasing and cornering GHAH supporters and bystanders. On 26 December 2014, a group of representatives from Perkasa and 100 Malay villagers staged a protest against the Selangor State Government at the Selangor State Secretariat Building for approving the building of a high-tech pig farm in Kampung Sepat, Kuala Langat. They handed over a memorandum to Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali. They said that building a pig farm near a Malay village was an insult to the Malays and added that Azmin should speak up in defence of the Malays.
Controversies Publication of seditious articles