DAP's decision not to pursue its 'Tanjung' campaign to capture Penang in the upcoming polls has opened up the possibility of seat negotiations, said its opposition counterpart Parti Keadilan Rakyat (Keadilan).

According to Keadilan Penang chairperson Dr Mansor Othman, there is ample room for negotiations following the increase in parliamentary and state seats in Penang.

"We are hoping for a one on one fight (with Barisan Nasional). The mood of voters is different from 1999 (the previous general election).

"Keadilan will be focusing more on commercial issues and the development of Penang such as obtaining free port status and improve tourists arrival," he told a press conference yesterday.

Keadilan's 'invitation' to negotiate comes as a surprise as both parties have previously been at loggerheads over seats.

'Political suicide'

Last Thursday, Penang DAP chairperson Chow Kon Yeow announced that the party will no longer sound its `Tanjung' clarion call. He said a more "humble and down to earth" approach would be adopted instead.

The 'Tanjung' campaign was motivated by the party's impressive performance in the 1986 and 1990 polls, where it captured 10 and 14 sate seats respectively out of the 33 up for grabs.

Chow said if DAP was to carry out a similar campaign in the next polls, it would be committing "political suicide".

He also conceded that DAP had lost its strength in the state after its severe defeats in the past two elections due to internal squabbles.

Meanwhile, Penang Keadilan deputy chairperson Teoh Teik Huat said his party was ready to meet the challenge in mixed constituencies since the Chinese-based DAP and Muslim-based PAS do not have a broad appeal.

"Keadilan is definitely ready in the mixed and non-Malay seats," he said at the same press conference.

"There's an opposition vacuum since 1995. Our campaign is to bring back a strong opposition so that check and balance is in place," he added.

Seat negotiations between the veteran DAP and the fledgling Keadilan hit a brick wall about four months ago when the former accused its counterpart of leaking details to the press.

Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had said later that none of her party leaders were responsible but this failed to mend the rift.