Renegade DAP Penang leader Goh Kheng Huat has submitted his proposal to the party leadership on ways to avoid a three-cornered fight in the southern Perai district in the general election.

The proposal , which Goh announced last week, includes an agreement not to compete with Keadilan in two parliamentary and six state seats, but to focus on a straight fight with Barisan Nasional.

In doing so, Goh broke with the DAP position that seat negotiations with Keadilan should be left to a national-level committee. The two parties have resumed the talks which had been suspended due to a dispute.

"This is merely a suggestion to the state and national DAP. I hope the party will accept it, as this is a grassroots proposal," Goh told malaysiakini in Kulim on Saturday.

"If the proposal is accepted, we are confident that together (DAP and Keadilan), we can perform very well in at least two parliamentary and three state seats."

Goh, the Nibong Tebal member of Parliament, said the two parties have been co-operating well to service their constituencies in Seberang Prai.

DAP severed ties with BA - comprising PAS, Keadilan and PRM - two years ago over differences linked to PAS' Islamic state policy.

No complaints to date

Contacted yesterday, Penang DAP leader Chow Kon Yeow declined to comment beyond dismissing the proposal as "nothing".

"He (Goh) knows that the proposal will not mean anything. Keadilan also knows that the proposal will not mean anything, why do they do it?" he quipped.

Chow, who is Tanjung member of Parliament, said disciplinary action would not be taken against Goh for going against the party's policy on the matter.

Disciplinary committee chairperson Ngeh Koo Ham said he had not received any complaints.

"I am not aware of the problem at this point and I have not received any word from Penang DAP yet," he said.

Goh has irked his superiors several times in the past for disregarding the party's policy on co-operation with BA.

But he has insisted that his relationship with BA leaders was in line with the spirit of the DAP's multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural society stance.

Penang Keadilan leader Law Choo Kiang ( left ) said DAP should be happy with the proposal as it is a reflection of what supporters want.

"It's a win-win situation and a very good suggestion especially when we know that this election will be a very tough one in Penang," he said.

Law is also the political assistant to Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.