The DAP Sarawak state committee has adopted a resolution to withdraw from the Barisan Alternatif. The resolution is to be extended to the party's Central Executive Committee for a final decision.

Its chairman Wong Ho Leng said today that the resolution was made after extensive deliberations by all state committee members who attended a meeting yesterday in Kuching.

"The decision reached was not a unanimous one, but the majority prevailed. It was decided that the resolution to withdraw from the BA be extended to the Central Executive Committee who shall make the final decision," he said in its statement.

He noted that Keadilan had not given any explanation on the candidacy dispute in Bandar Kuching during last general elections in November, and Keadilan's efforts to lure away DAP members compounded the situation.

In the last parliamentary elections, it had been decided by BA that DAP should field its candidate in Bandar Kuching, Wong said.

Betrayal by Keadilan

"However, a member of Keadilan betrayed this arrangement. He resigned from Keadilan and took part in the election on an Independent ticket, but with full blessings from Keadilan leaders in Sarawak.

"The Keadilan leadership campaigned against the DAP candidate. This was the first stab in the back from a friendly party," Wong said.

Wong added that the Keadilan candidate was allowed to rejoin his party after his involvement in the three-cornered fight in Bandar Kuching.

"Clearly, that arrangement must have had the blessing of the national leadership in Keadilan. It demonstrated a lack of principles on the part of BA," he said.

He pointed out that DAP Sarawak had protested to the Keadilan national leadership and demanded for an explanation as to why its own party-backed candidate was allowed to contest in Bandar Kuching and attack the DAP candidate.

"We have not received any response from Keadilan," Wong said.

Islamic state

Wong also complained that Keadilan in Sarawak had openly tried to lure DAP state and branch leaders and members to defect.

Besides, Wong also said, DAP had been smeared and defamed by Chinese-based component parties in BN as a party which had been helping PAS in establishing an Islamic state in Malaysia.

"DAP has paid a heavy price for being a member of the BA since the November 1999 parliamentary elections as evidenced by the defeat of its top national leaders in areas which had favoured the DAP candidates," he said.

"While DAP's stance has always been and will always remain against the establishment of an Islamic state in this multi-cultural and multi-racial country, the people have not been convinced of our stance because of the propaganda machine of the BN," Wong added.