Ibrahim Ali - I am a communist

KUALA LUMPUR, March 27 — Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali today claimed Bumiputeras should rightly own 67 per cent of the nation’s economic wealth, as it was the majority group in Malaysia.

He also insisted the government must include affirmative action in the New Economic Model (NEM), adding that Bumiputeras’ economic equity must reach 30 per cent before the country reaches its goal as a developed nation in 2020.

“Malaysia comprises 55 per cent Malays and 12 per cent of other Bumiputeras, which [is] total [of] 67 per cent Bumiputeras. Therefore, the nation’s wealth must be 67 per cent for Bumiputeras but we get 30 per cent only,” the Malay rights movement president said at the inaugural Perkasa congress here today.

“Therefore it must be explained that in a democracy, the majority is regarded as the national agenda. The country’s economy must be divided in accordance with the distribution of the population,” added the independent Pasir Mas MP.

Perkasa economic bureau director Dr Zubir Harun has said the movement feared that the NEM would have a Chinese agenda, and warned that the Chinese community would use the next general election to take over the country.

Ibrahim suggested that all companies be nationalised and 67% of all companies be given to the majority population. This would according to Ibrahim, be the most effective way to increase the Bumiputera populations wealth. Forget about education and helping to build up capability he said. Just take from someone and give away. When a reporter queried whether he was a communist at heart for espousing such policies, Ibrahim smiled and winked at the reporter.

When asked whether his lamentation was an acknowledgement that the economic policies of the UMNO led government had failed these past 50 years, Ibrahim started waving his keris around and kissing it more that 10 times.

Dr. Zubir Harun was also asked about a detailed economic analyst on the failures of upliftment over these past 50 years on the Bumiputera community and whether any new policies and approach where and would be needed, Dr. Zubir replied that "no, just more of the same, much more". When asked to elaborate and provide some details, Dr. Zubir ran and hid behind the still keris waving Ibrahim.