DAP's central executive committee is deferring its decision on whether to quit or stay in the opposition front as negotiations to ease the current friction between the party and its opposition ally PAS is still ongoing.

Pressed to reveal more of what happened at last night's CEC meeting that was to determine DAP's future in the alternative front, the members could only say that it was not an easy decision to make.

Teresa Kok, DAP International and Non-Governmental Organisations Affairs secretary, said the party "cherished" its relationship with PAS and "all the hard work we've put in building the Barisan Alternatif".

"However, we are currently facing a lot of pressure from our grassroots who cannot accept the notion of an Islamic state," she told malaysiakini .

PAS and DAP met last week for the first time to resolve their differences. However, a compromise could not be reached and party leaders said that more meetings will take place.

PAS deputy president Mustafa Ali, when met today outside the opposition leader's office in Parliament, said another meeting was scheduled for next week.

The DAP CEC's recommendations supporting the 'divorce' were supposed to be presented to delegates at the coming national congress on Aug 18 and 19 in Kuala Lumpur.

It is believed that the recommendations may spilt the party as members were divided on the idea of quitting the front.

The party also face the possibility of losing to Keadilan, its other ally in the front, several branch leaders and members are all for BA.

War of sorts

DAP and PAS declared a war of sorts on each other when PAS deputy president Abdul Hadi Awang, who is also Terengganu Mentri Besar, insisted that his party would establish an Islamic state if it came into power.

Consequently, BA leaders met several times in the hope of seeking a formula to resolve the issue but to no avail.

In the wake of the controversy PAS' president Fadzil Noor has urged the DAP not to leave the front saying that conflicts were normal and that each party should respect each other's ideology.

Recently, PRM and Keadilan issued a join-statement saying that "if the BA succeeds to govern the country with the support of majority of the people, any attempt to amend the Federation Constitution to establish an 'Islamic state' or a 'Malaysian Malaysia' will not be agreed to by the other parties".

The added that "all parties in BA agree not to amend the nature of the Malaysian state without the support of two-thirds of the Malaysian people, through a referendum".

Recently, DAP top leaders said the party will most likely not quit the BA but settle for an "amicable divorce" with PAS.