Rebellious DAP leader Goh Kheng Huat today urged the opposition front, Barisan Alternatif, to make way for his party to contest in the upcoming Gaya parliamentary by-election in Sabah.

He said in view of the political situation in Gaya, where the people no longer have a legitimate opposition voice, the best candidate would be DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang.

He added that he fully supported Sabah DAP's recent proposal that Lim contest for the seat Lim turned down the proposal on Sunday.

"Lim is very experienced and intelligent, especially in Parliament. He should be given the opportunity and support so that he can return to Parliament to serve the people," said Goh when met at the Parliament lobby.

The MP for Nibong Tebal added that BA should set aside its differences with DAP and give their support for Lim to return to Parliament.

"This may also be a stepping stone and an opportunity that will pave the way for an opposition unity to challenge Barisan Nasional in the coming general election," he said.

Confident of support

Lim was the Opposition Leader until the 1999 general election when he lost the Bukit Bendera seat in Penang to a Gerakan candidate.

DAP a former BA partner, quit the front last year after its leaders crossed swords with PAS over the latter's aim to establish an Islamic state.

Goh said he was confident that the people in Gaya will support Lim as it is the desire of all opposition supporters here to see the DAP chief back in Parliament.

Goh was labelled a 'renegade leader' following his decision to flout party orders twice and campaign for BA parties in previous by-elections.

The Gaya by-election for which a date is yet to be fixed was called following the Election Commission's disqualification of the constituency's representative Yong Teck Lee.

Yong was disqualified after the Federal Court decided on Sept 3 to reject his application for leave to appeal against an Election Court ruling that found him guilty of committing election offences in the 1999 Sabah election.

Yesterday, EC chairperson Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said the commission would hold a by-election within 60 days from yesterday as provided for under Article 54(1) of the Federal Constitution.

Keadilan interested

Meanwhile, Keadilan vice-president Azmin Ali said the party was interested in contesting the seat.

He said the party's political bureau reached a consensus on Monday that an opposition candidate should contest for the sake of the Gaya constituents.

He added the party was awaiting reports from Keadilan Sabah on "the needs, moods and sentiments of the grassroots towards this new development".

"We are presenting the views of the political bureau to the supreme council members who will meet next Thursday," he told malaysiakini when contacted in Bangkok, where he is attending a meeting.

On the suggestion that Lim be given the chance to contest, Azmin replied: "We take the open-door approach. We are prepared to meet and discuss with DAP. We are willing to open our door for further deliberation."

In a related development, when met at the Parliament lobby today, Opposition Leader and PAS acting president Abdul Hadi Awang said BA will decide on the candidate after the by-election date is announced.

Commenting on the possibility of DAP contesting the seat, he said BA was willing to discuss with the party about the matter, "because in principle we have decided that the opposition must contest in Gaya".