I will not apologise – Karpal

(TMT) – DAP national chairman Karpal Singh commented that he will not apologise to PAS on his race-based political parties statement.

Karpal said, “Demands for an apology by “so-called” PAS leaders will not be met. That much, I assure them.”

Defending his statement, Karpal said, “True, I had stated that race-based political parties and professional bodies should open their doors to other races which, unfortunately, included PAS. But I did not ask for the de-registration of PAS at the press conference.”

Karpal continued to deny calling for the de-registration of the party’s ally PAS recently, describing it as a “vile allegation”.

“I was quick to add that PAS acknowledged the necessity of multi-racialism by having a non-Muslim supporters’ wing,” he said in a statement Friday.

It was reported on Tuesday that Karpal, a veteran lawyer and politician, had called for the de-registration of all political or professional bodies that operated along racial and religious lines, including PAS, saying that the move would work in the interest of national unity.

He said this while hitting out at the Muslim Lawyers Association (MLA) for threatening the Bar Council over its alleged support for Catholic weekly The Herald, saying that such associations should be de-registered.

His statement earned the wrath of PAS leaders, who said Karpal failed to understand the party’s struggle. Some also called for his public apology on the matter.

Karpal explained that at the press conference on Tuesday, he in fact threw PAS a life-line.

“I did not bring PAS into the net I had cast against political parties and professional bodies set up along racial lines. I have stated the truth,” said the Bukit Gelugor MP.

However, he stood firm on his statement calling for the de-registration of the  MLA.

“The president of the Muslim Lawyers Association threatened further action against the council. I stand firmly over my call for the de-registration of the MLA,” he said.