Snubbing PAS, DAP says meeting PKR over opposition leader post after polls

(Malay Mail Online) – DAP will discuss only with PKR on picking the next federal opposition leader after the Rompin and Permatang Pauh by-elections, Lim Guan Eng said today.

The DAP secretary-general said the immediate focus is on the two by-elections.

“We will meet with PKR to discuss issues relating to Pakatan Rakyat after the by-elections,” he told reporters after a cheque presentation ceremony at St Marks Church here.

He added that there is no urgency to name a replacement for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim now since Parliament is no longer in session.

When asked why the discussion will not include PAS, Lim said this is in line with the DAP central executive committee’s decision not to cooperate with the Islamist party’s president Datuk Seri Hadi Abdul Hadi Awang.

At state level, Lim said the PR parties in Penang are still cooperating with each other so DAP’s stand against Hadi will not affect ties with local chapter of PAS.

“We recently had a Penang PR meeting and everything is still the same,” he said.

Anwar was the federal opposition leader but the post fell vacant after he was disqualified as MP last month.

PR leaders have skirted the issue of appointing a replacement since then, owing to the open hostilities between PAS and DAP over hudud.

The Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat was also left vacant after Anwar’s disqualification last month.

Nomination date for the Permatang Pauh by-election is on April 15, early polls on May 3 and polling date on May 7.

The May 5 Rompin by-election was triggered after Tan Sri Jamaluddin Jarjis was killed in a helicopter crash last month.