DAP must learn to accept the political consequences of teaming up with PAS and stop blaming others for the opposition's loss in the recently concluded Sarawak state elections, said an opposition leader today.

Malaysian Democratic Party secretary-general Wee Choo Keong said it was "typical of DAP leaders to accuse others such as Keadilan and PRM for their own mistakes although they had chosen to work with PAS despite being fully aware of the party's stand on the Islamic state".

"They should learn to accept their own mistakes and learn from it. They are only interested in looking for scapegoats in the hope that they can hoodwink right-thinking Malaysians," said Wee who was a former DAP leader himself.

"Why make a big fuss about it now? Why didn't DAP pull out from the Barisan Alternatif during the 1999 general elections when PAS was campaigning openly about its intention to set up an Islamic state?" he added in a press statement.

Wee was commenting on DAP's statement yesterday that its former allies in the opposition front Keadilan and PRM were unwilling to do anything about PAS plans to set up an Islamic state and instead adopted a "wait and see" attitude.

The party pulled out of the coalition on Sept 22, citing irreconcilable differences with PAS over the Islamic state issue.

However, many perceived this to be a "strategic" attempt by DAP to fish Chinese votes in the Sarawak elections.

Maximum damage

DAP publicity-secretary Ronnie Liu had said that things could have been different if other partners had acted jointly to convince PAS before the issue reach a dead-end.

"Let us not blame each other but find a new format of cooperation," he said.

Liu denied that the "painful decision" was linked to the elections. He said the party had wanted to resolve the problem earlier but PAS leaders were not available.

But Wee claimed DAP's decision to quit BA was "specifically timed to inflict maximum damage to other opposition parties so that it could gain in the elections".

He said DAP only managed to secure one seat in Sarawak due to the candidate Chew Chin Siong's popularity and service record when he was a member of Parliament for Bintulu.

He added that the only reason DAP joined the BA and hooked up with PAS was to gain political power.

"We are not surprised if the DAP were to approach PAS, Keadilan and PRM in the next general elections to strike up some arrangement strictly just to win seats," said Wee.

"DAP leaders now lack credibility due to the party's inconsistencies and double standard and it should be totally ignored by other political parties in the opposition," he added.

The eighth Sarawak elections last Thursday proved to be disastrous outing for the opposition. While DAP won only one out of the 13 seats it contested, PAS and Keadilan returned home empty handed, despite speculations of a strong showing.