Updated version

DAP chairman Lim Kit Siang has requested his party to release him from all Barisan Alternatif meetings, which discuss the choppy relationship between the party and coalition partner Keadilan.

He said that it was most unfortunate that despite what had happened in the Lunas by-election, the opposition coalition had not learnt the important lesson that component parties must be ever sensitive and respectful of each other.

Lim's party has bitterly complained against the BA's decision to field a Keadilan candidate to run in the by-election last year when the seat was traditionally contested by DAP.

"I do not have very much to say with regard to the latest development in DAP-Keadilan relations," he said in a press statement today.

"I will ask the DAP central executive committee to relieve me from all BA discussions and meetings on the matter," he added.

Lim said he will be requesting secretary-general Kerk Kim Hock and another party leader to handle them because he found the matter "most disappointing and exasperating".

The on-and-off row between the two coalition partners resurfaced in the wake of former Penang DAP leader Teoh Teik Huat's application last weekend to join Keadilan.

Teoh and three others had requested to join Keadilan, and party chief Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the applications would be given due consideration.

'Games' people play

According to Lim, one of the reasons why DAP took an active part in the creation of BA before the last general elections in 1999 was to shore up Keadilan so that it could grow into a political force.

He added that while DAP remained committed to the goals which took the party into the opposition coalition, it has always been mindful of these objectives despite the problems which have cropped up now and then between the two parties.

"Keadilan national leaders are sincere and honourable people, but they do not seem to know what is happening on the ground," Lim said.

"A lot of 'games' are being played at the state and local levels, especially in the Chinese media."

Lim said that DAP had been committed to the establishment of BA on the platform of justice, freedom, democracy and good governance.

He added that DAP wanted to make a full contribution to end the political hegemony of Barisan Nasional, which is the root cause of the multiple crisis of confidence afflicting the country.

"We want to usher Malaysia through a new political transition to create a new politics which is not so race-dominated but more issues-centred," said Lim.

What will the recently-turned 60-year-old politician do for now?

"I would want to devote more of my time to these great political and nation-building challenges and leave it to another DAP leader, together with Kerk, to be responsible for the task of managing DAP-Keadilan relations," said Lim.