DAP secretary-general Kerk Kim Hock today dismissed the claim that the party's controversial leader and former Youth chief Teng Chang Kim was dropped from the list of candidates for the next general election.

"His name is on the candidate list recommended by the Selangor state committee," he told a press conference after launching the party's SMS campaign in Kuala Lumpur.

In view of this, he said the allegation that Teng - who is the Bandar Klang state assemblyperson - was axed from the list holds no merit.

Contacted later, DAP Selangor chairperson Ronnie Liu confirmed that the state committee had recommended Teng who also sits on the party's central executive council to re-contest in the upcoming polls.

When contacted today, Teng expressed surprise that such an issue has been brought up for public discussion.

In 2001, Teng landed in a crisis after publicly calling on DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang not to seek re-election in the party polls. He also urged Kerk to vacate the Kota Melaka parliamentary seat to make way for younger leaders.

Teng also flouted party directives by maintaining a close rapport with Barisan Alternatif (BA). DAP withdrew from the opposition front in 2001 due to differences with its then ally PAS over the latter's aim to establish an Islamic state.

PSM issue

In another development, Kerk said the party has yet to decide whether it will give way to the yet-to-be-registered Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) to contest in the Sungai Siput parliamentary and Jalong state seats in Perak.

"The DAP has authorised the Perak leadership to negotiate with PSM and the negotiations are ongoing," he added.

However, Kerk declined to comment on the statement by former DAP MP for Petaling Jaya Dr Kua Kia Soong that the party should give way to PSM, beyond saying that everyone is entitled to their comments.

Kua had said that DAP should allow its opposition counterpart to contest in the four seats which it is eyeing in order to avoid three-cornered fights.

Apart from the two seats in Perak, PSM will also field candidates for the Subang parliamentary and Bukit Lanjan state seats in Selangor.

Seat negotiations

On the seat negotiations with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (Keadilan), Kerk said it could be concluded by next week and the two party leaders will make a joint announcement on the outcome.

Two meetings have been held since Sunday after the talks resumed from a six-month suspension but the DAP leader declined to elaborate on the progress..

He said due to the talks, the party's list of candidates have not been finalised. He also revealed that the DAP manifesto has yet to be completed.

On its chances at the upcoming polls, Kerk said it will be an "uphill battle" for the Chinese-based party.

Regarding the speculation on where party chief Lim will contest, he replied that more than one state has offered the former a place.

As for himself, Kerk said he has expressed his intention to re-contest the Kota Melaka seat but was still awaiting for more public feedback on his second option - the Lukut state seat in Negeri Sembilan.