Penang Keadilan chief Dr Mansor Othman has confirmed that there are "no more seat negotiations" with DAP in the state and that it is willing to go against DAP vice-chairperson Karpal Singh in the newly-created Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat.

In what is seen as rubbing salt into the wound, Keadilan proposes to send in former DAP leader Gooi Hock Seng, who was once chief election strategist to (then) secretary-general Lim Kit Siang in Penang in the 1990s.

Gooi, the former Bukit Bendera state assembly representative, told malaysiakini that the party had made known its intention over Bukit Gelugor a long time ago, "much earlier" than Karpal's announcement on Monday.

Reacting today, Lim - now the national chairperson - said he was "sad" about Keadilan's decision, given that Karpal had supported Keadilan icon and jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim , "including getting arrested and charged for sedition in his defence".

"I would have thought that after what Karpal has done, Keadilan would have formed a special team to campaign for him wherever he is standing for election," said Lim.

"Instead, (what Keadilan is doing) seems to show its determination to ensure Karpal's defeat by splitting the vote - (and if he loses), he will not return to Parliament to champion the cause of Anwar."

"I have long learnt not to expect gratitude in politics - one must be prepared for the loneliness of a long-distance runner - but this goes beyond my imagination."

Yesterday, Keadilan revealed its plan to contest in three Chinese-majority parliamentary and 10 state seats in Penang, including Bukit Gelugor.

Bukit Gelugor was formerly part of the Jelutong seat which Karpal had won for five consecutive terms between 1978 to 1999. In 1999, the veteran politician and lawyer, once dubbed the 'Lion of Jelutong', lost to Barisan Nasional's Lee Kah Choon by 775 votes.

This time around, Karpal is expected to face BN's Lim Boo Chang, son of former chief minister Lim Chong Eu and the man who had beaten him to the state seat of Datok Keramat in 1999 by a 3,148-majority.