KUCHING: Radical Malay group Perkasa has no place in society, especially in Sarawak.
Assistant Youth Development Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said Sarawak’s racial and religious harmony must not be shaken by such extremism.
“They (Perkasa) are not welcome in Sarawak and so are those other organisations that propagate likewise views.
“Our harmonious inter-racial and inter-religious fabric that has been built up in the state must not be disturbed by those with extreme racial views,” he said in a text message yesterday.
He was commenting on a recent news report that Perkasa plans to set up a chapter in Sarawak.
Abdul Karim, who is also Assistant Housing Minister, cited the example of the former country known as Yugoslavia.
“We have seen Yugoslavia disintegrate because of extreme views on race and religion and we do not want the same to happen in Malaysia or Sarawak,” he asserted.
The Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) supreme council member said Perkasa should be aware that Malaysia is a multi-religious country where their extreme views do not belong.
Perkasa’s reported plans to set a chapter in the state have also received strong objections from Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing.
Bung Bratak Heritage Association president Datuk Peter Minos has also spoken against racial and religious extremism, while Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud also hinted that such negative elements should not be spread to multiracial Sarawak.