By Debra Chong
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 — The DAP leadership seems in two minds over its Islamist partner’s renewed commitment to Pakatan Rakyat (PR), made at a special seminar to strengthen the latter party here yesterday.
Party adviser Lim Kit Siang appeared to have shed his misgivings over PAS’ previous ambivalence towards PR, judging from his carefully chosen words while commenting on yesterday’s event.
“We, of course, welcome their commitment in that direction,” he told The Malaysian Insider today, referring to PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s repeated vows to remain with partners DAP and PKR in order to set up a credible challenge to the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.
“We can convince Malaysians we are finally on track to providing an alternative; in terms of an inclusive, open, progressive, democratic government,” the Ipoh-Timur MP added.
He declined to comment further on other aspects thrown up by delegates at the seminar, notably on the lack of effort by DAP and PKR to promote the discussion of Islam.
Unlike PKR’s Khalid Ibrahim, he refused to be drawn into a debate over the religion.
“Those are individual views. We will discuss them another time,” Lim said.
DAP’s chairman, Karpal Singh, was more cautious.
He said such affirmations by PAS to stand by PR were not sufficient to convince the rest of the alliance, as they were made only at a gathering of its own members.
“Their commitment should be cast in stone so they don’t turn back on their word in future,” he said.
“It should be given at an assembly with the other component parties,” he continued.
He added that he was looking forward to their (PR’s) first official convention next month.
He stressed that leaders from the ground up should stop raising matters that would provoke partner parties and jeopardise PR’s common objectives.
PAS’ Nasharuddin Mat Isa, he noted, was an example of someone who tried to rock the boat.
“He’s the one who pushed for talks with Umno and he’s deputy president,” Karpal pointed out.
The Bukit Gelugor MP maintained that the issue of setting up an Islamic state as pushed for by PAS delegates was not negotiable with the DAP.
It is not because the secular party sees Islam as “not desirable”, he said, but that it went against the Federal Constitution.
“Islam as a religion is accepted,” Karpal said.
“But political parties exploit Islam for their own agenda,” he ended.
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