A member of Barisan Alternatif (BA) today disputed a statement by Keadilan leader Wan Azizah Wan Ismail that the front rejects Suqiu's appeals on the abolishment of the bumiputra and non- bumiputra distinction as well as the ethnic quota system.

DAP chairman Lim Kit Siang denied that the coalition had rejected any of Suqiu's [#1]17-point election appeal[/#] , adding that Wan Azizah's statement last Saturday was "incorrect".

"I reiterate the joint statement by BA leaders on Oct 19 last year. The statement had no specific references to rejecting any of Suqiu's demands," he told malaysiakini when contacted.

Wan Azizah had said in a statement released on Saturday that while BA supported most of the appeals by Suqiu, the coalition has rejected certain clauses that were against the Constitution.

Specifically, she said, BA rejected Suqiu's appeals regarding the abolishment of the bumiputra and non- bumiputra distinction as well as the ethnic quota system.

She added that Keadilan and BA's stand was far different from that of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.

"Based on the principles of justice, our party and BA accept those Suqiu's demands which are reasonable. However, BN accepted all of Suqiu's demands, including those that were against the Constitution, before the 1999 general elections.

"Just as (Prime Minister) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) himself said in Parliament recently, BN had taken to accepting all the demands to win Chinese voters. This shows that BN is opportunist and has no principles," she said.

According to Lim, the joint statement signed by the four BA leaders before the general elections last year however stated that the four opposition parties were guided by the fundamental principles of the Constitution which defends the position of Malay as the national language which is the sole official language, and also protects the use of other languages.

"This is because Malay has been accepted by all communities as the basis of the national system of education. Similarly, the Malaysian Constitution recognises the special position of the Malays and other indigenous groups in the country whilst preserving the rights of the other communities," he said, reiterating the statement.

Decision to stay

On Sunday, DAP decided to remain in the opposition front at a meeting of its top leaders in Port Dickson. The two-day meeting at Port Dickson Golf and Country Club was attended by the party's national and state leaders including its state assemblymen and members of parliament.

The party came under pressure to quit the opposition front, especially among its Indian members, after BA dropped DAP's candidate S Neelamekan in favour of Keadilan's Saifuddin Nasution Ismail for the Lunas by-election late last month.

Meanwhile, Wan Azizah called on all parties that were involved in anti-Suqiu demonstrations to study the group's demands before acting drastically.

"Most of the demands have nothing to do with bumiputra rights or the ethnic quota system. The emphasis in Suqiu's memorandum which was announced before the general elections are on social justice, distribution of the nation's wealth, fighting corruption, an independent judiciary, media free from the controls of the executive and fair elections, among others," she said.