DAP will continue to hold talks with all political parties, including its opposition ally PAS on issues concerning the future of the nation, said party national chairperson Lim Kit Siang today.

"DAP has never closed the door for dialogues with any political party, group or person on issues of concern and importance to the future of the nation and its people," he said.

Lim was clarifying a report by malaysiakini yesterday which quoted him as saying that DAP had stopped holding dialogues with PAS as the latter continuously shrugged off questions pertaining to the implications of an Islamic state to non-Muslims in the country.

The veteran politician explained that DAP had only stopped organising inter-political, inter-religious and inter-civilisation public dialogues featuring PAS spiritual leader and Kelantan mentri besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat.

"These dialogues were stopped because Nik Aziz did not address the issue as to whether the political Islam represented by PAS is compatible with democracy, pluralism, human rights, cultural diversity, women's rights, social tolerance, development and modernity."

In recent weeks, DAP and PAS have been in disagreement over the Islamic state issue, resulting in several top DAP leaders claiming that the party's relationship with PAS was no longer tenable.

They have also called on the party to withdraw from the Barisan Alternatif if PAS did not abandon its plan to set up an Islamic state should it come into power.

The dispute arose following a statement by PAS deputy leader and Terengganu mentri besar Abdul Hadi Awang that once PAS establishes an Islamic state, non-Muslims would be subjected to Islamic laws involving public interests although exception will be given for certain areas.

Heightens concerns

Yesterday, Abdul Hadi was reported to have said that PAS accepted the reality that the country had to be governed based on the concept of a multi-racial society within a democratic framework.

He added that historically, Islamic governments had ruled when the Muslim community was in minority until the people eventually accepted the rule.

However, Lim said that Abdul Hadi's comments only "heightens rather than lessen" the concerns about PAS' Islamic state concept.

"PAS is asking the diverse communities to trust its Islamic state concept using historic examples which are neither apt nor acceptable since historical examples of Islamic rule were the result of conquest which are completely different from modern political developments," stressed Lim.

He said PAS must answer the question if its Islamic state concept will uphold the principles of equality for all Malaysians, including the possibility of any Malaysian becoming the prime minister.

"Or will it represent a position which is a step backward from the existing provisions in the Federal Constitution?" he asked.