By Wong Choon Mei (sUARA kEADILAN) -MONDAY9 FEB 2009
DAP has pledged its support for Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, urging its chairman Karpal Singh to use internal channels to raise his grouses against the Pakatan Rakyat’s leadership and policies, rather than to blow up in public and risk having his statements twisted by rivals.
“DAP supports KeADILan de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim as the parliamentary Opposition Leader and will remain so as no single leader has ever questioned this during internal meetings, whether at the highest levels or otherwise,” DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said in a statement.
“I appeal to saudara Karpal Singh as chair of the DAP to use internal party channels, should he wish to change these policies or even criticise my leadership,” said Guan Eng.
Karpal set a cat among the pigeons yesterday, by demanding that Anwar resign to take responsibility for the ongoing crisis in the Perak state government, that the Pakatan had wrested control of from arch rival Barisan Nasional in the March 2008 general election.
The Pakatan is a coalition of three equal partners - KeADILan, DAP and PAS. Their equal status, which differentiates them from the Umno-dominated Barisan Nasional, has enabled the partners to openly challenge and question each other in public.
Unused to such political culture, Malaysians have been both aghast and refreshed by the coalition’s openness. Sadly, these are also occasions for the Pakatan’s enemies to take pot shots at it - often to its extreme disadvantage.
Growing without compromising
Guan Eng reiterated that DAP was committed to “a multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural Malaysia is not only an article of faith, but a deep conviction in Bangsa Malaysia”.
Despite an uphill battle, he promised DAP would keep fighting for its cause.
“DAP is inclusive of all races and religions. We represent the interests and fight for the rights every Malaysian. We have no alternative but to grow without compromising our basic principles.”
He also re-stated DAP’s stand on two issues that Karpal - a most well-respected politician regarded as a legend in his own time - has been vocal and concerned about.
Hudud law that was widely played up during the Kuala Terengganu by-election last month, and the current controversy over the moral acceptability of defections to boost the Pakatan’s majority - whether in Parliament or at state assemblies.
“DAP’s position on hudud and Islamic state is crystal clear and regardless of whatever support for both hudud and the establishment of an Islamic State, whether from PAS or KeADILan, this will not be Pakatan Rakyat policy as long as DAP does not agree to it,” Guan Eng said.
Guan Eng repeated his call for an anti-hopping law to be established.
“As BN does not have a two-thirds parliamentary majority, the support of DAP’s 28 MPs will be required to effect any constitutional amendment for such an anti-hopping law. We have expressed the support of our 28 MPs,” he added.
DAP has pledged its support for Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, urging its chairman Karpal Singh to use internal channels to raise his grouses against the Pakatan Rakyat’s leadership and policies, rather than to blow up in public and risk having his statements twisted by rivals.
“DAP supports KeADILan de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim as the parliamentary Opposition Leader and will remain so as no single leader has ever questioned this during internal meetings, whether at the highest levels or otherwise,” DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said in a statement.
“I appeal to saudara Karpal Singh as chair of the DAP to use internal party channels, should he wish to change these policies or even criticise my leadership,” said Guan Eng.
Karpal set a cat among the pigeons yesterday, by demanding that Anwar resign to take responsibility for the ongoing crisis in the Perak state government, that the Pakatan had wrested control of from arch rival Barisan Nasional in the March 2008 general election.
The Pakatan is a coalition of three equal partners - KeADILan, DAP and PAS. Their equal status, which differentiates them from the Umno-dominated Barisan Nasional, has enabled the partners to openly challenge and question each other in public.
Unused to such political culture, Malaysians have been both aghast and refreshed by the coalition’s openness. Sadly, these are also occasions for the Pakatan’s enemies to take pot shots at it - often to its extreme disadvantage.
Growing without compromising
Guan Eng reiterated that DAP was committed to “a multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural Malaysia is not only an article of faith, but a deep conviction in Bangsa Malaysia”.
Despite an uphill battle, he promised DAP would keep fighting for its cause.
“DAP is inclusive of all races and religions. We represent the interests and fight for the rights every Malaysian. We have no alternative but to grow without compromising our basic principles.”
He also re-stated DAP’s stand on two issues that Karpal - a most well-respected politician regarded as a legend in his own time - has been vocal and concerned about.
Hudud law that was widely played up during the Kuala Terengganu by-election last month, and the current controversy over the moral acceptability of defections to boost the Pakatan’s majority - whether in Parliament or at state assemblies.
“DAP’s position on hudud and Islamic state is crystal clear and regardless of whatever support for both hudud and the establishment of an Islamic State, whether from PAS or KeADILan, this will not be Pakatan Rakyat policy as long as DAP does not agree to it,” Guan Eng said.
Guan Eng repeated his call for an anti-hopping law to be established.
“As BN does not have a two-thirds parliamentary majority, the support of DAP’s 28 MPs will be required to effect any constitutional amendment for such an anti-hopping law. We have expressed the support of our 28 MPs,” he added.
No comments:
Post a Comment