Despite the ensuing media war between DAP and Keadilan over seat allocations for the upcoming general election, Keadilan wants DAP secretary-general Kerk Kim Hock to head the party's negotiation team if talks were to resume.

The Keadilan team claimed that DAP members were unable to make decisions during the meeting.

However, when asked about this at a press conference in Petaling Jaya yesterday , Kerk merely said:"This is not the way".

Saving time

But Keadilan chief negotiator Dr A Xavier Jayakumar said it would be "very helpful" if Kerk could lead the team as Keadilan wants "someone who can really make decisions" on seat allocations.

"If Kerk heads the team, we do not have to wait for the DAP negotiation team to keep going back and forth before they can come to an agreement with us," he said.

"This would help us save a lot of time," added Xavier, who is Keadilan's vice-president.

Xavier said unlike DAP's team, Keadilan negotiators can make decisions as they were fully supported and endorsed by the party's Supreme Council and state leaders.

Xavier was responding to Kerk's earlier comment that seat negotiations with Keadilan would resume only if Keadilan leaders agree to stop revealing one-sided information to the press and tarnishing the party's image in the process.

However, since the suspension, Keadilan leaders have invited DAP to return to the negotiation table in order for both parties to achieve the best formula for a straight fight with Barisan Nasional.

Ding dong battle

At Selangor DAP state ordinary convention in Petaling Jaya on last Sunday, Kerk said he would await a response from Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, to whom he has written, before deciding if negotiations would continue.

Wan Azizah had responded by saying that she would "investigate" the allegations that Keadilan leaders leaked out information about the negotiation process as she was also "shocked" about the matter.

However she added that it was up to DAP to decide on the status of the talks.

Meanwhile, when told that the ball is now in Keadilan's court to resume negotiations with DAP, Xavier said the party had never wanted to severe talks between the two.

"If they want to come back, by all means, please do. We welcome them with open arms, we are always open to them," he said.

DAP stalled five months of talks with Keadilan on Aug 5 after Penang Keadilan leaders accused DAP of practising 'racial politics' by insisting on retaining seats in Chinese-majority areas in Penang, leaving Keadilan with only Malay majority and mixed-race seats.

Keadilan leaders said as a multi-racial party, it should be allowed to contest in some Chinese-majority seats too.