Delegates attending the DAP national congress were asked to give the party's newly elected central executive committee (CEC) powers to resolve the Islamic state controversy with its opposition ally PAS.

Speaking at the party's 13th national congress in Kuala Lumpur today, DAP secretary-general Kerk Kim Hock said that the outgoing CEC at its last meeting on Aug 7 had decided to seek guidance from the congress on how to deal with the issue.

"We believe that there should be a full debate on this important question and I hope delegates will make use of this two-day congress to put forward their views and opinions," he said.

"Our legitimate concerns and opposition to an Islamic state must be respected because of our aspirations for full citizenship rights in our homeland. We are not anti-Islam," he added.

Delegates were asked to provide the new CEC with the mandate to make all the final decisions within the shortest possible time without having to refer back to the party congress, Kerk explained.

Untenable manifesto

DAP joined Barisan Alternatif (BA) in 1999 and agreed to the coalition's Common Manifesto which excludes the quest of an Islamic state.

However, Kerk said the manifesto has become untenable with PAS leaders "publicly reiterating their pursuit of an Islamic state".

"This is where the principle of people's sovereignty in a democracy will be replaced by the sovereignty of God based on the Quran," he added..

Kerk warned that such open violations not only made the manifesto untenable but if left unresolved, will render the BA untenable as well.

"Such violation of the manifesto has plunged BA into its worst crisis since its formation," he added.

After the 1999 general elections, DAP representatives had repeatedly stressed at BA leaders council meetings the need for an immediate resolution of the Islamic state question but there has been no satisfactory outcome.

Apart from the Islamic state issue, the party's outgoing CEC has also tabled seven other resolutions on politics, the economy, education, national unity and human development.