breaking news! updated version

In a shock decision today, the DAP announced its withdrawal from the opposition Barisan Alternatif coalition, citing irreconcilable differences with fellow member PAS over the Islamic state issue.

In an emergency meeting this afternoon, the party's central executive committee resolved to quit the BA, with 13 votes in favour of the withdrawal, two against and three abstentions.

The motion was: "In view of the failure of DAP and PAS to resolve the Islamic state controversy, the CEC resolves that it is no longer tenable for DAP to continue in the Barisan Alternatif and the DAP ceases to be a member of the Barisan Alternative."

The recent DAP Congress had given full mandate to the CEC to resolve the Islamic state controversy with PAS.

The emergency CEC meeting today was convened following secret talks between the DAP and PAS leadership in Kuala Lumpur this morning which lasted two hours.

It was the latest of a series of meetings held between the two parties to resolve the issue that has threatened to split apart the three-year-old opposition front recently.

According to the DAP, the party had put forward a five-point formula to resolve the issue but no agreement could be reached on it.

However, malaysiakini later learnt that PAS had in fact agreed to the first two points.

DAP's five-point formula

The five points are:

1) That the 1999 BA manifesto 'Towards a Just Malaysia', while respecting the different ideological positions of component parties, binds every party during the duration of the BA to a commitment to uphold and respect the fundamental principles and basic structures of the Malaysian Constitution - an assurance that there would be no radical change to the Constitution such as for the establishment of an Islamic, Buddhist or Christian state. Any effort by any component party to pursue the establishment of an Islamic, Buddhist or Christian state will be against the BA manifesto.

2) For a clear reiteration that under the BA manifesto, a vote for BA is a vote for democracy, justice and good governance and not a vote for an Islamic state - and PAS agrees that in the duration of the BA, it would at all levels of the party join forces with other BA parties to strive for 'A Just Malaysia' and not for an Islamic state.

3) That the BA council to be given prior notice of any proposed enactment or measure in the Kelantan and Terengganu state governments which could impinge on the sensitivities of the different religions, communities and political parties to allow for fullest consultation and agreement.

4) That a special BA committee be set up to ensure that controversial or sensitive religious pronouncements or statement against the BA manifesto are only made after prior consultation and to deal with cases of infraction.

5) Although PAS is committed to the objective of an Islamic state, it accepts the fact that in a plural society like Malaysia, the establishment of an Islamic state is not suitable or practicable.

Grassroots sentiments

At least five PAS leaders attended the morning meeting between the two parties, namely, deputy president and Terengganu Mentri Besar Abdul Hadi Awang, spiritual adviser and Kelantan Mentri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, supreme council member Dr Hasan Ali, vice-president Mustapha Ali and secretary-general Nasharuddin Mohd Isa.

Representing DAP were 11 of its top leaders including life adviser Dr Chen Man Hin, chairperson Lim Kit Siang, deputy chairperson Karpal Singh, vice-chairpersons Dr Tan Seng Giaw and Ahmad Nor, secretary-general Kerk Kim Hock, deputy secretaries general Chong Eng and Zulkifli Mohd Noor, organising secretary Tan Kok Wai, publicity secretary Ronnie Liu and international secretary Teresa Kok.

BA sources told malaysiakini that the decision to pull out by DAP was largely influenced by the grassroots sentiments in Sarawak amid the current state elections.

Sarawak DAP had pulled out of the state level BA late last year, citing differences with another BA partner, Keadilan, as well as the 'smear' campaign by Barisan Nasional Chinese-based parties which had exploited DAP's association with PAS.