Opposition leaders had poured cold water on Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's invitation to all opposition parties to join the Barisan Nasional.

PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat started the ball rolling and called on PAS leaders not to discuss the invitation.

Instead Nik Aziz, who is Kelantan menteri besar, made a counter offer for all the Malay parties in the BN to join PAS and the non-Malay based, to join Keadilan.

"There is no need to discuss this invitation and I will be angry if my friends (PAS and Opposition leaders) wish to discuss issues like this," Bernama quoted him as saying in Kota Baru today.

Mahathir, who is the BN chairperson yesterday called on the opposition parties to join the BN in efforts to develop the nation and face foreign threats.

The prime minister said the BN was willing to share power if the opposition parties were sincere in joining the BN.

PAS was humiliated

In response, Nik Aziz said PAS declined to join Umno which led the BN since it saw the party as not being transparent and failed to assist the Malays and Islam.

"PAS itself was in the BN in the 70s and we were booted out in a very humiliating manner. I still feel the bitterness of Umno's actions (at that time)," he said.

Meanwhile, his comrade, acting PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said the prime minister's invitation was a move to weaken the opposition.

Abdul Hadi, who is Terengganu menteri besar said the invitation was made at a time when the BN was weakening and becoming desperate, to the extent of forcing it to resort to a new approach.

He said the invitation also indicated that the BN had failed to strengthen the country in the face of foreign threats.

Jointly discuss issue

Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) president Dr Syed Husin Ali said Mahathir's invitation was planned to split the opposition especially PRM and Keadilan which planned to merge. "If Mahathir really wanted all Malaysians to unite against the foreign threats apart from focusing on the people's and nation's development, the best way was to set up a national unity government," Syed Husin said in a statement.

He suggested that the prime minister invited all parties as well as non-governmental organisations and community leaders to sit down and jointly discuss the issue.

Meanwhile, Keadilan said that it is aware of its own role when it comes to the country's development like its commitment to fight corruption, abuse of power, economic mismanagement, anti-human rights laws and the restriction on freedom.

Keadilan secretary general Sahri Bahari said Barisan Alternatif has taken on this agenda because "Umno and BN no longer possess the moral strength and have failed to bring Malaysians out of this mess".

"The government has oppressed Keadilan, restricting our political talks, peaceful assemblies, detain our leaders without trial but the people's support is still strong," he said in a press statement today.

Lost direction

"Perhaps, it is this phenomena that has driven Mahathir, who has lost his direction to overcome this trend, and extend an invitation as a strategy to cause doubts among Keadilan members and our friends in BA," he added.

In a related development, DAP secretary general Kerk Kim Hock pointed out that two days ago, different newspapers have reported differently about the Prime Minister's invitation to other parties to join the BN.

Nanyang Siang Pau has, in its front-page story, reported the Prime Minister's invitation to Keadilan to dissolve and rejoin Umno.

China Press has also reported Mahathir's comments that as the Barisan Alternative is on the decline, Keadilan should join Umno.

Sin Chew Jit Poh has headlined "Mahathir says Barisan Alternative is already breaking up Barisan Nasional invites Opposition parties to join the coalition"".

Other newspapers have reported that Mahathir has made an invitation to the Opposition parties to join the BN so as to be united to face the country's external threats.

Kerk said it was clear that Mahathir's invitation was mainly targeted at Keadilan as he only included other parties after his speech when he was asked to elaborate by the media on his invitation.

"Hence, the Prime Minister's invitation to other Opposition parties is not a serious one which warrants a serious response from the DAP," he said.

"Nevertheless, I wish to stress that the DAP's position has always been that although we are in the opposition, there are common issues of concern which we are prepared to cooperate with any other parties, whether they are from the government or the opposition," he added.