Pekida
In the Pekida website, one of its mission statements read as such: “Kami berjanji mematuhi peruntukkan perlembagaan sebagai dan menjadi ahli yang berdaftar dan terus berusaha mencapai objektif pertubuhan supaya menjadi sebuah organisasi Melayu yang terulung.” Can anyone find fault with it? What if an Indian or Chinese organization states exactly the same thing (replacing the word Melayu with India or Cina)?
By Hakim Joe
Pekida is an acronym for Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia, and it has such a low profile that even Wikipedia does not have an entry on it.
Pekida did not surface from its self-imposed hermitage until the circulation of an SMS warning about a gathering of Malay extremists in Kuala Lumpur in response to the Hindraf issue in 2007. Pekida is also known as “Tiga Line” and their flag consists of three colours; red, yellow and green, mimicking the traffic lights.
Pekida is not a new organization and has been around for quite some time. It was formed immediately after the May 13 Race Riots in 1969 and its main objective was to create a frontline in the event of another race riot, and because of its intricate ties to the government, Pekida’s major purpose has been somewhat diluted to include the retention of BN as the GOM and henceforth its subtle involvement as a major force to disrupt the Opposition as with the Perak Political Crisis in 2008 and Ops Lalang in 1987.
Pekida is not an isolated organization either. Since its inception forty and more years ago, its web of members include many highly placed political and military figures including prime ministers, cabinet members, government officials and high ranking police and military personnel. As such, it is a well-funded and well-organized group of paramilitary people and is seen to be the “fifth BN column”, and since the Razak Administration all Menteri Besars and State UMNO Chiefs have been high-ranking members of Pekida.
Both the Social Contract and Ketuanan Melayu principles were originated from Pekida. In a 2009 interview with the Pekida president, Jamaluddin Yusof, he said, “Ketuanan Melayu is important because if we do not become tuan (masters) we become hamba (servants).” Does this mean that all Malays should become tuans and all other races exist as hambas to serve them? If such is the case, what is different between Ketuanan Melayu and Apartheid?
Pekida, like Umno, MCA and MIC are all about race segregation, quite similar to the South Africa apartheid of before. In the 2011 address to the Pekida general assembly, PM Najib pledged that his party, Umno, would not allow the Malay race to be oppressed in its own land, “We will not surrender even an inch!” As such, the race issue becomes an essential formula for BN to attempt to retain power; not social, economic or other more important factors.
In the Pekida website, one of its mission statements read as such: “Kami berjanji mematuhi peruntukkan perlembagaan sebagai dan menjadi ahli yang berdaftar dan terus berusaha mencapai objektif pertubuhan supaya menjadi sebuah organisasi Melayu yang terulung.” Can anyone find fault with it? What if an Indian or Chinese organization states exactly the same thing (replacing the word Melayu with India or Cina)?
For an organization that declares the safeguarding of Malay Rights as their singular priority, it henceforth does not make much sense when they gave official warning to the organizers of the Free Anwar 901 rally, an event that has nothing to do with Malay Rights. Similar harsh warnings were given to the BERSIH rally organizers. The question begets now whether Pekida is actually protecting Malays or Umno.
In the recently released movie KL Gangster, it was exposed that the film producers used quite a few of Pekida’s “secret codes” in their scenes and that the KL Gangster hierarchy was also based on the Pekida own power pyramid. Kumpulan 77, Kumpulan Merah, Semerah Padi and Pewaris are all gangs formed by Pekida members of whom has gone rogue, so says Pekida (after the release of the movie, not before) and hence their house cleaning these days.
So, is Pekida an organized group of legalized gangsters (RM13 membership fees), a Malay Rights protector (are they absconding the Sultans’ job?), an Umno crony or a non-racist (even though they only accept Malays), non-political (even though the majority of their leaders are from Umno) and non-government organization?
