Many Barisan Alternatif supporters do not have as short a memory as DAP deputy chairperson Karpal Singh would wish ('Leave BA, join new front for own good: Keadilan, PRM told', Dec 19).

When have DAP and Karpal Singh become so altruistic and concerned with the 'good' of Keadilan and PRM? I still remember when Karpal, for no reason, joined the chorus MCA Youth last year in attacking the vice-president of the secular PRM, Rustam A Sani for his alleged 'insult' to the Chinese. That was when DAP was still in BA.

In the run-up to the Lunas by-elections, DAP and Karpal Singh endlessly attacked Keadilan and its president, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail openly in the Umno-controlled New Straits Times , Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian , as well as in the MCA-controlled The Star .

Moreover, DAP attempted to pit the Indian community against Keadilan and its candidate, Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, in the hope that Keadilan would be defeated by MIC.

DAP also attempted to sabotage BA's campaign in Lunas by withholding assistance and backup to Keadilan until the eleventh hour when, under pressure of the ethnic Chinese, its national chairperson, Lim Kit Siang, turned up for the last few rounds of public rallies. That was when DAP was still a member of BA.

In the Sarawak state elections held this year, not only did DAP suddenly announce its withdrawal from BA, but also attacked Keadilan and PAS more venomously than BN did.

In hindsight, all I can see in the past three years is an ultra-opportunistic and perfidious DAP attempting to exploit the reformasi movement only for its own benefit, but at the same time, also doing nasty things to the detriment of not only PAS, but also Keadilan and PRM.

The question is not about 'secularism vs Islamic state' or what not. It is about the sincerity, commitment, integrity, trustworthiness and honour of a so-called ally. DAP was not forced into joining BA in the first place. It came in out of its own free will and we trusted it, but it betrayed and continues to betray us and the larger cause.

Even when DAP wanted to leave, and after it has left BA, no party in BA, whether PAS, Keadilan or PRM has ever said any bad words about it openly because we are polite and magnanimous parties. We all wish DAP well even though many of us speculate that it tries to play a double-game: supporting Umno's succession plan on one hand, and enjoying the support of BA's supporters on the other.

In fact, there is no more need for DAP to say anything about BA. After quitting, DAP should be independent enough to continue to do what it wants to get back the Chinese support lost in the 1995 general elections (there was no alliance with PAS yet).

As intelligent and smart people, DAP leaders know in the hearts of their hearts that PAS can never come into power and the BA alliance is merely a defensive and balancing alliance against the anti-democratic, arrogant and recalcitrant Umno.

DAP must also know that in Kelantan and Terengganu, non-Muslims' rights are fully respected by the PAS governments in accordance with the teachings of Islam as well as the Federal Constitution.

Yet, under the pretext of defending itself against MCA and Gerakan's propaganda, DAP itself has been actively churning out many more anti-PAS propaganda to frighten non-Muslims, especially the Chinese non-Muslims, so that it may be used one day against Keadilan and PRM, especially Chinese and Indian leaders of BA.

It sounds and looks smart but DAP should seriously think what will happen when PAS and Keadilan/PRM are completely destroyed by Umno and Barisan Nasional. The latter would probably crush DAP because Umno has more trusted partners like MCA and Gerakan. When that happens, there will be no more PAS, Keadilan and PRM to help DAP and its leaders, members and supporters.

As it is now, DAP is still getting strong help in the case of MP Fong Po Kuan being humiliated and suspended from parliament without pay. Before this, PAS, Keadilan and PRM went all out to mobilise solidarity for former DAP vice-president Lim Guan Eng even though they were attacked by Umno as " sokong Cina tak sokong Umno Melayu (supporting the Chinese but not the Malay Umno)" and 'traitors'. Assisting DAP has never been without political cost to Malays/Muslims in PAS, Keadilan and PRM, especially in semi-rural areas.

Premier and Umno president Mahathir has declared his intention of setting a 'good dictatorship' and eliminating the opposition parties one by one, by pitting one against another. It is more than the personal interests of Mahathir at stake. It is a long-term strategy of Umno under the long-term threats and stress of continuous globalisation, the information revolution and the rise of the people for democratic participation and justice for all, especially Anwar Ibrahim, Tian Chua, Ezam and other ISA detainees.