DAP Chairman Lim Kit Siang accused the mainstream media for not reporting the agreement reached by his party and PAS on the kharaj issue last week, but had instead continue to highlight the negative implications of the controversial land tax on non-Muslims.

"The mass media blacked out reports about the breakthrough agreement reached between DAP and PAS that the kharaj would not be imposed against the wishes of the non-Muslims," he said.

He specifically singled out The Star newspaper for criticism. According to Lim, the best-selling English tabloid ran a report "Non-Muslim body objects to kharaj proposal" on Dec 16 and " Kharaj will scare investors" on Dec 18, only days after the PAS-DAP meeting.

Last week, the DAP sent a 9-member delegation to Terengganu and Kelantan to meet PAS leaders from the two states. Lim reported that breakthrough had been reached on a number of key issues.

Quoting Terengganu Mentri Besar Hadi Ahmad Awang, Lim said, "Hadi gave assurance that the state PAS government would fully respect the rights and sensitivities of non-Muslims and the principle of having the fullest public consultation would apply not only to kharaj but to all other proposals which could be perceived as affecting the rights and sensitivities of other races and religions."

"DAP leaders found the dialogues with Hadi, Kelantan Mentri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz and other PAS leaders very satisfactory and productive," he added.

Commenting on the effort to amend the state constitution to allow nominated assemblymen to represent ethnic minorities in the two states, Lim said that the party welcomed the open-minded attitude of both Hadi and Nik Aziz on the proposal.

"The Terengganu state government also assured that it would appoint Chinese in the municipal and district councillors, with two seats reserved for Chinese in the Kuala Terengganu Municipal Council when it is reconstituted shortly," said Lim.

On another issue discussed at the dialogue between the two parties, Lim said that both Hadi and Nik Aziz have given serious consideration to grant a fixed and regular allocation to Chinese and Tamil primary schools as recognition and appreciation of their contribution to national development. He pointed out that the federal government had not been forthcoming in allocating funds to these schools.

"Hadi also gave an assurance that the state government would observe the principle of justice and be fair in the allocation of development projects, low-cost housing and hawker licences and stalls, all based on need," Lim said, adding that there would be no discrimination because of race or cronyism as practiced by the previous BN state government.

Lim also said that the party welcomes the decision of the Terengganu state government to lift the ban on pig rearing which was imposed by the BN state government for the past 10 years. "I cannot understand how MCA could agree to the ban when it had a state exco member," Lim said.

According to Lim, the PAS-led Terengganu government had the best start of any new government in the 42-year Malaysian history.

Lim said that the abolition of the bridge toll, three-month maternity leave in the state civil service, Hadi's leadership by example in not staying in the Menteri Besar's official resident, the decision that all state exco members would publicly declare their assets, and the establishment of the hisbah protfolio to deal with public complaints over wrongdoings in the state government are some of the things which the federal government can learn from Terengganu.

However, Lim was chastised by The Star senior news editor Wong Chun Wai in his Sunday "On the Beat" column, that he and DAP could be seen by the Chinese community for being "apologists" for PAS.

"There is no reason for non-Muslims to thank Hadi for his assurances that Buddhists and Christians would be allowed to build their own places of worship. That is guaranteed under the Federal Constitution," wrote Wong.

"Neither should non-Muslims be relieved by his statement that non-Muslims would be appointed to various municipal and district councils. These are minor concessions by PAS to get support of non-Muslims for a greater agenda of setting up an Islamic state, which the PAS leaders have openly stated," he added.

Lim had issued a strong three-part rebuttal, arguing that he suffered the pain of being detained twice under the Internal Security Act, not to be an apologist for PAS, but for justice, freedom and democracy for all Malaysians, regardless of race or religion.