Keadilans threat to face former opposition front ally DAP in several constituencies in the coming general elections is a waste of time and a plan to destabilise DAP, DAP secretary-general Kerk Kim Hock said today.

He said the series of staggered announcements on the matter made by Keadilan may be due to several reasons such as displeasure for not getting any support from DAP during the recent Indera Kayangan by-election campaign.

They may be showing off to DAP that if we do not cooperate with them, this is what we get, Kerk told malaysiakini in a telephone interview.

It also appears to be an arm twisting tactic to gain advantage in future discussions on seat allocations between the two parties, he added.

Kerk was commenting on Penang Keadilan chief Dr Mansor Othmans statement yesterday that the party is prepared to face the DAP in at least six seats as the latter is no longer part of the opposition Barisan Alternatif front.

Mansor had said some of the seats that may be contested by Keadilan are Jelutong, Bukit Mertajam, Bayan Baru, Bukit Bendera, Nibong Tebal and Tanjong.

Bernama quoted him as saying the situation now was unlike that in 1999 when the DAP was in the BA opposition front, whose current members are Keadilan, PAS and PRM.

Electoral pact

However, Mansor did not discount the possibility of Keadilan and DAP forming an electoral pact to avoid contesting against each other.

Following the Indera Kayangan by-election on Jan 19 where Keadilan lost to Barisan Nasional, several similar announcements have been made by Keadilan in Melaka, Selangor, Ketari (Pahang), and Penang.

Kerk said he expected the next announcement to be made in Perak and said he believed that this was a plan approved by Keadilan top leadership.

He said that DAP would face the challenge although he believed that an all-out fight between the two parties was out of the question.

There may be a possibility of an overlapping contest in several areas but these are the challenges the DAP has to face.

All these announcements are tactics and a total waste of time. Yes, we can fight differently, but we must fight together against BN, not each other, said Kerk.

Poor response

Penang DAP chief Chow Kon Yeow called on Keadilan to reconsider its proposal to contest against DAP as such a move would effectively cripple the opposition and deliver victories to BN on a silver platter.

Chow said DAP was in favour of all opposition parties taking on the BN in straight fights in as many constituencies as possible.

But firstly, we must avoid going for each others throat. We need not fight each other as it is BN which is the common target, he added.

Chow said Penang Keadilans proposal to contest against DAP was nothing new but he believed the partys supreme council had not endorsed it.

He added the proposal has also not received a favourable response from opposition supporters.