DAP was not 'over-sensitive' when it decided to suspend seat negotiations with Keadilan, said DAP negotiating committee member Loke Siew Fook today.

He claimed it was "misleading" for Keadilan leaders to state that his party should not be concerned with what others say in the media, when it was they who leaked what transpired to the press.

He was responding to comments made by Keadilan information chief Khalid Jaafar following DAP's decision to suspend all talks with its compatriot on Tuesday.

"Khalid should know very well that any bickering through the media would only damper the negotiations...I wonder what will Khalid's response be if it was DAP who leaked out the information?" he said in a press statement.

Loke further refuted Keadilan Melaka chief Ruslam Kassim's claim that DAP suspended negotiations over a minor issue - where Keadilan Penang leaders commented on DAP's 'rigid refusal' to give up claim over Chinese-majority seats.

"This is far from the truth. A check with the malaysiakini news archive will reveal that it was always the Keadilan side who sparked off controversial issues over the negotiation process," he said.

Lesson from Gaya

Talks between the two parties which was initiated by Kerk, officially began on March 21 this year. There has since been five meetings to discuss seat divisions that would ensure straight fights between the opposition and Barisan Nasional.

According to Loke, both sides agreed at the first meet that discussion details should remain behind closed doors.

He added that an article in malaysiakini had quoted Keadilan negotiation chief Dr Xavier Jeyakumar (left) admitting to this.

Loke said having agreed that details of seat negotiations can only be revealed following endorsement from both sides, Keadilan's violation of this agreement - with unjustified and unwarranted criticisms against DAP in the media.

"DAP would not like to see a three-cornered fight in any constituency. But it is Keadilan who should learn the bitter lesson from the Gaya by-election results. Despite whatever credibility and strength they claimed in Gaya, they lost their deposit in the end," he said.

"I call on Keadilan leaders to put their feet on the ground and uphold the spirit of professionalism and sincerity if they want to have any chances for the negotiation process to be resumed," he added.

No decision

Contacted later, Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Ismail said no decision had been made on Keadilan's end.

However, she added that a political bureau meeting between national leaders will be convened in the next few days to discuss DAP's decision to suspend talks.

While declining to comment directly on Kerk's claims, Wan Azizah said the party will continue to uphold the one-to-one principle (avoid any three-cornered fight that could split opposition votes), and view the latest verbal spar as only a hiccup in relations between the parties.

DAP finally threw the hatchet when Keadilan Penang leaders were quoted in Chinese daily Kwong Wah Yit Poh and malaysiakini saying that DAP refused to give up Chinese-majority seats in Penang, leaving Keadilan with mixed-race seats.

Despite DAP's scathing statements, its national publicity secretary Ronnie Liu claimed that it was not a dead-end.

"As indicated by (Kerk's) remarks to the press, the door is still open. We will wait for the official reply from the Keadilan president before taking any steps," he said when contacted.