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| Guan Eng 'backs' DAP pullout from Kedah |
| Written by Chan Kok Leong | |||
| Thursday, 02 July 2009 14:18 | |||
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While Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leaders were quick to brush aside the DAP pullout from the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition government in Kedah, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng attributed the problem to "a breakdown of trust" between the two parties in the northern state. In a statement released by Lim today, the Penang chief minister said the party expressed its grave concern at the decision by Kedah DAP to pull out from the PAS-led government. "Kedah state DAP chairman Thomas Su said the demolition of an illegal pig slaughterhouse at Kampung Berjaya and the imposition of 50% bumiputera housing quota in the state were the cause of the withdrawal from Kedah PR," said Lim. "I was informed by Thomas Su of the Kedah state committee decision yesterday. Only after receiving the official letter confirming the Kedah State Committee decision, would I call a Central Executive Committee(CEC) to make a final decision on the matter," he added. The Bagan member of parliament said the pullout is a serious matter with large adverse national ramifications. "For Kedah DAP to do this, signals the complete lack of communication and respect from the Kedah PAS-led government." Kedah DAP had never sought any titles or Datukships but had been unhappy with the lack of respect accorded by PAS to DAP in Kedah, unlike the respect accorded to PAS in Penang, said Lim. "I would normally oppose such moves personally especially when based on a single issue and if there is still room to redress and correct the situation," Lim said. "However, the desperate nature of the situation and the breakdown of trust between Kedah DAP and the Kedah PAS menteri besar warrants a CEC meeting to endorse or oppose this withdrawal. All implications will be reviewed and studied in the final decision." At a press conference in Alor Setar on Wednesday evening, Kedah DAP chief Thomas Su announced that the party was pulling out its sole representative from the PAS-led Kedah state government. According to Su, Wednesday's demolition of a pig abattoir in Kampung Berjaya was one of the reasons for the pullout. He told reporters that the demolition showed that the Kedah state government was insensitive to the needs of the minority of the state. The abbatoir was to be demolished last month but it was halted following the intervention of DAP’s sole state representative, Lee Guan Aik (Kota Darulaman). At a separate press conference in the Parliament lobby today, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang said that he will make a trip to Kedah to investigate. The Ipoh Timur MP, however, said that no further decisions will be made on the matter until a fact-finding mission is completed. When asked on the matter in Parliament lobby today, opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (Permatang Pauh-PKR) said there was still room for discussion. "The Kedah MB has informed us that he has suggested a replacement site for the pig abattoir," said Anwar. "We have to consider all views but I also heard the MB’s explanation and I think the PR leaders can discuss and resolve this." Anwar also dismissed the suggestion that PR was falling apart and said that their fundamental beliefs were still the same. "I don’t believe this will hamper our main agenda which is rule of law, economy, freedom of expression, and an economic agenda economy that is focused on growth and equity," said Anwar. His views were echoed by PKR elections director Saifuddin Nasution in the Parliament lobby today. "This matter is quite small actually and is part and parcel of PR’s maturing process. The earlier issue when Karpal Singh (DAP chairman) asked Anwar to quit was bigger and that has been resolved," he said confidently. "I trust the leadership of Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak of PAS will resolve the issue amicably," said the Machang MP.
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