Stop putting opposition in bad light, Keadilan tells DAP

comments     Susan Loone     Published     Updated

Top DAP leaders should refrain from issuing statements that would throw the opposition in a bad light in the coming Pendang and Anak Bukit by-elections, said a Keadilan leader today.

Keadilan deputy Youth chief Saifuddin Nasution Ismail urged DAP national chairperson Lim Kit Siang and his deputy Karpal Singh to "respect" Barisan Alternatif component parties, saying they should not issue "sensitive" statements during the eight-day election campaign.

Saifuddin said that recently the duo have been criticising not only PAS but the other BA components — PRM and Keadilan — for not making a stand on PAS' insistence on setting up an Islamic state and hudud laws tabled by the Terengganu state government.

"Their (DAP) cooperation is needed now. We need Lim and Karpal to show some respect to their old friends," Saifuddin told malaysiakini in a telephone interview.

"If they practise this, they will be seen as respected leaders of society," he added.

The Election Commission has fixed July 10 for nominations and July 18 as polling day.

The seats fell vacant following the death of former Pendang Member of Parliament and Anak Bukit state assembly representative Fadzil Noor on June 23.

At logger heads

DAP and PAS had been at logger heads since the latter's insistence on setting up an Islamic state which resulted in the DAP pulling out of the opposition coalition last Sept..

The crisis between BA and DAP heightened with Terengganu's persistence in tabling the Hudud Bill despite opposition from various quarters.

Recently Karpal criticised Keadilan and PRM for not taking a public stand on the Islamic state and hudud laws.

But PRM at its 35th national congress in Kuala Lumpur yesterday made a clear stand to reject the Islamic state proposed by PAS and any groups of political elites who want to impose their brand of religion on others.

Meanwhile, Saifuddin said he made the call to DAP because its leaders have made the same request during the Ketari by-election in March, where DAP contested against Gerakan and lost.

During that period, Karpal had called upon Keadilan leaders not to criticise each other as it would jeorpadise the opposition's performance in Ketari.

Karpal was then chastising former Keadilan deputy president Dr Chandra Muzaffar for revealing publicly any misunderstanding or shortcomings of the party or its leaders.

The veteran politician also expressed concern that Barisan Nasional might exploit the bickering to its own benefit for the then upcoming Ketari by-election in Pahang.

Cannon fodder

"Chandra should not supply cannon fodder to Barisan Nasional in the form of public revelations either directly or by implication of what transpired in Keadilan when he was deputy president which is a position of no mean rank," said Karpal.

"I hope...both Chandra and Keadilan leaders will put a lid on what should not be accessible to all and sundry. The larger interests of the opposition in the public interest should not be forgotten," he added.

On March 2, Karpal urged Chandra to join DAP and praised him for saying he joined Keadilan because of principles and would not be part of anything that troubled his conscience.

The invitation was later declined by Chandra.

Chandra fell out with Keadilan when he criticised the party for practising the concept of the "ends justify the means" after his resignation last year to concentrate more on his work in non-governmental organisations.

When contacted, Lim declined to respond to Saifuddin's statement while Karpal is not available for comment.



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