PAS and DAP failed to resolve their differences on the issue of Islamic state after a four-hour meeting of Barisan Alternatif's top leadership.

DAP secretary-general Kerk Kim Hock told malaysiakini that the opposition front leaders had met to seek a way of resolving the controversy but failed to do so.

"We could not reach a consensus," Kerk said, adding that any eventual possibility of a consensus was "hard to predict".

However, Kerk said the atmosphere of the meeting was 'cordial'.

"We spoke in a very firm and frank manner. All parties exchanged views on the subject as the controversy involved all parties," he said.

'No more tenable'

The meeting was BA's normal monthly meeting attended by two representatives from each of the four member parties, which also include Keadilan and PRM.

The Islamic state conflict between PAS and DAP blew up when PAS deputy president Abdul Hadi Awang, who is also Terengganu Mentri Besar, insisted that PAS will not change its stand with regard to establishing an Islamic state once it came to power.

Keadilan and PRM later issued statements urging the two parties to stand firm by the common manifesto, adding that the establishment of an Islamic state was never mentioned in the document which was agreed to by the coalition partners before the general elections in 1999.

DAP threatened to pull out if PAS kept to its stand; DAP chief Lim Kit Siang said PAS' decision made the front "no more tenable" and its deputy chairperson Karpal Singh called for PAS to leave the coalition, putting the future of the front in question.

Lim also said PAS leaders had altered the ground rules and basic rationale for the formation of the front.

Keadilan and PRM eventually stepped in and offered solutions to resolve the controversy. Both parties proposed meetings to be held between top leaders to resolve the differences and refrain from making press statements that may be detrimental to BA.

Agreed to keep on talking

BA secretariat chairperson Dr Chandra Muzaffar, who is also Keadilan deputy president, told malaysiakini that during the meeting, all parties pledged to stand by the BA common manifesto.

"We all agreed that the over-riding goal of the BA is to establish a just and democratic Malaysia," he said.

"As such we agreed to stand by our common manifesto and continue to discuss the issue of the Islamic state controversy," he added.

Asked if BA partners had agreed not to squabble over the issue by issuing statements in the press, Chandra said, "I don't think they will do that (speak to the press and make matters worst)".

PAS deputy president Mustafa Ali, who attended today's meeting, when contacted said, "I think it is better that you ask (president) Fadzil Noor about this issue".

In addition to the Islamic state issue, the opposition leaders also discussed the recent arrest of students under the Internal Security Act and the fielding of a BA candidate in the coming Likas by-election.

Chandra refused to divulge the identity of the BA candidate in the by-election, who is widely speculated to be Keadilan's Dr Badrul Amin Bahron, currently being detained under the Internal Security Act, in Kamunting camp, Perak.

Bid to stop poll dismissed

Meanwhile, Bernama reported that the Kota Kinabalu High Court today dismissed an application by Parti Bersatu Sabah members for leave to apply to restrain the Election Commission from holding the Likas by-election.

Former Likas PBS division chief Bernadette Wong and two others had sought to stop the by-election from being held until a revision exercise is carried out and a new certification is made of the electoral roll for the constituency.

The three also sought leave to apply for an order directing the EC to carry out the revision or make further alteration to the Likas roll by holding a public inquiry for objections to the names of disqualified persons in the roll.

On June 8, High Court judge Datuk Muhammad Kamil Awang declared the result of the 1999 state election for the Likas constituency null and void on the grounds of the existence of phantom voters and corrupt practice, paving the way for a by-election.

Nomination is fixed for July 12 and in the event of a contest, polling is on July 21.