Updated version The Barisan Alternatif candidate for the Lunas by-election on Nov 29, at first thought to be Keadilan's Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, will be a DAP candidate instead.

The decision came about after several hours of negotiation, presssed hard by DAP chairman Lim Kit Siang, with leaders from both parties this morning.

A highly reliable source informed malaysiakini of the new candidate, likely to be Penang DAP state committee member S Neelamekam, who contested for the Prai state seat in the last general elections.

It was learnt that DAP was upset with malaysiakini for breaking the news of BA's first choice of Keadilan's Saiffuddin but later decided to push for re-negotiations ([#1]Keadilan's Saifuddin for Lunas by-election[/#], Nov 16).

DAP was reportedly dissatisfied that it had to surrender Lunas to Keadilan, threatening to boycott the by-election, according to The Star today.

Boycott

DAP adviser Dr Chen Man Hin was quoted to have informed the party of the boycott, saying that it was morally unacceptable (for Keadilan to put up a candidate) and that it had once given in to Keadilan at the Teluk Kemang by-election last June.

In the Teluk Kemang by-election, DAP made way for Keadilan although the parliamentary seat had traditionally been contested by the former. Keadilan fielded its Negri Sembilan chief Ruslan Kassim, who lost to Barisan Nasional candidate S Sothinathan by 5,972 votes.

Malaysiakini also learnt that Keadilan is unhappy with the latest development and will continue to press for its candidate, thus creating a state of impasse within the four-member Opposition alliance.

Keadilan was confident of Lunas' Chinese support when a group of Chinese residents held a gathering on Nov 16 to hand in a petition of 2,000 signatures to BA, demanding a Keadilan candidate be chosen to represent BA

Barisan Nasional, meanwhile, has announced its candidate, S Anthonysamy, a lawyer from Sungai Petani and a former MIC Kedah secretary.

The Lunas state seat fell vacant after the state assembly representative Dr Joe Fernandez was shot dead on Nov 4.

Nomination day is next Tuesday and polling day will be on Nov 29.

No comment

DAP leaders cannot be reached for comment. A staff at the DAP headquarters in Petaling Jaya said that the office closes at noon on Saturdays and no DAP official is available for comments.

PAS is reported to have decided to support a DAP candidate following Dr Chen's call to boycott the by-election yesterday. PRM, the remaining BA component, did not nominate any candidate for contest.