Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali has firmly stated Perkasa and PAS are working together. ― Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — Malay rights wing group Perkasa today insisted it was in co-operation with PAS on national issues, despite the Islamist party Selangor chapter denying any such collaboration.

Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali explained that the cooperation was not a political pact, but strictly to address topics such as 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), the use of anti-terrorism law Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA) as well as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) among others.

“I was already clear in my statement yesterday... as what we said, it is a cooperation to address these issues and nothing to do with politics,” Ibrahim told Malay Mail Online when contacted.

Yesterday, Selangor PAS Commissioner Datuk Iskandar Samad said that PAS had only received a “courtesy visit” from Perkasa at its headquarters yesterday, when Ibrahim and PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang only discussed 1MDB, SOSMA and TPP.

He also denied any form of cooperation between the two groups, adding that PAS rejected those who champion racial sentiments.

Ibrahim today rubbished Iskandar’s statement as a party issue, firmly stating that Perkasa and PAS are working together.

“We don’t have to entertain that... that is their internal issues, but we are cooperating on issues critical to the people, like price hikes, to see how we can help Malaysians counter it,” he added.

Ibrahim previously declared that Perkasa would shift its support from Umno to PAS if the former fails to address issues with its leadership and governance under its rule.

He had also projected Perkasa to hit a one million membership count by end of the year, which he claimed could sway the outcome of the next general elections to benefit PAS instead of Umno, should he choose to do so.

PAS is currently not formally aligned with any political pact after the informal Pakatan Rakyat broke up following the Islamist party’s disagreement with DAP over hudud.

A new pact called Pakatan Harapan comprising former allies PKR and DAP as well as PAS splinter group Parti Amanah Negara has since been formed.