As Pakatan Rakyat leaders continue to seek a bi-partisan dialogue to for a consensus on national issues, a DAP leader has warned against manipulating racial issues to push for such talks.

Such talks between Pakatan and the BN should also not be used to “negotiate for personal interests and government posts”, Johor Opposition leader Dr Boo Cheng Hau said.

“Political parties should not use racial sentiments as a basis to negotiate for personal interests or government posts.

“Instead, this Pakatan-BN dialogue should focus on the rakyat's interests, reforming the Federal Constitution and electoral system as well as strengthening the democracy,” Boo ( right ) said in a statement.

Last month PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim called for a dialogue to build bi-partisan consensus.

In making the call, Anwar said racial tensions in Malaysia had reached levels that paralleled the bloody May 13, 1969 race riots.

“We have not seen this building-up of tension since the events leading up to our national tragedy of May 13, 1969.

"The voices of hate and animosity, the voices of prejudice and suspicion, and the voices of wreck and ruin are attempting to drown out the harmony, cooperation and understanding that we have managed to build on the ruins of this tragedy," Anwar said in the special address .

'Not about unity government'

However, in an interview with Malaysiakini last week, Anwar stressed that the dialogue would not be about building a unity government.

“(It will be) on issues of race, religion, economy, crime and endemic corruption - nothing beyond that,” he said.

Meanwhile, Boo, who was recently ousted as Johor DAP chairperson by Liew Chin Tong, called for the talks to be conducted in a transparent manner and without any ulterior motive from either side.

He said the talks should focus on:

  • Constitutional guarantees for all Malaysians, including on religion and mother-tongue education, consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

 

  • Reforming the electoral system to ensure that the government better reflects support from the rakyat, with the number of constituents in each area kept within 10 percent of one another;

    •  

  • Reintroducing local government elections to ensure that ratepayers and local community views are represented;

    •  

  • Membership of the Dewan Negara to be through district level elections instead of appointments;

    •  

  • The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and Human Rights Commission to be independent and answerable only to Parliament; and

    •  

  • Greater powers for local and state governments, including in education and community welfare.

    • Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has expressed openness to have bi-partisan talks with Pakatan, but also claims his administration's reconciliation plans are more concrete.