Stick to joint manifesto, BA members told
Zakiah KoyaPublished: Dec 20, 2000 1:41 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
Members of Barisan Alternatif (BA) need to go back to their joint manifesto and the statement signed by the opposition coalition's four leaders regarding the Suqiu election appeal, Parti Rakyat Malaysia president Dr Syed Husin Ali told malaysiakini today.
He said this will help resolve the differences among the four components of BA - PRM, Keadilan, DAP and PAS - with regard to the Suqiu 17-point appeal, which has become embroiled in much controversy lately.
Syed Husin was referring to the contradicting statements by Keadilan president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and DAP chairman Lim Kit Siang in malaysiakini yesterday ([#1]BA leaders at odds over Suqiu's appeals[/#], Dec 19).
Wan Azizah had said in a statement released on Saturday that while BA supported most of the appeals by Suqiu, the coalition has rejected certain clauses that were allegedly against the Constitution.
Specifically, she said, BA rejected the appeals by Suqiu (Chinese Organisations' Election Appeal) regarding the abolishment of the bumiputra and non-bumiputra distinction as well as the ethnic quota system.
Lim, on the other hand, reiterated the joint statement made by BA leaders on Oct 19 last year after their meeting with Suqiu.
"The statement had no specific references to rejecting any of Suqiu's demands," said Lim.
Upholding the Constitution
Syed Husin said that in the joint statement that was released before the general elections, it was stated specifically that all the BA parties agreed to the Suqiu proposals provided that they did not transgress the present Constitution.
"We made our stand known that anything that was against the Constitution will be deliberated upon later and that we agree on those that did not contradict the Constitution.
He said that while the Constitution is not sacred and amendments can be made, the BA manifesto states the component parties will uphold the Constitution.
"It takes time to change the Constitution and until such a time, we will deliberate on matters that go against the Constitution," said Syed Husin.
He further said that there might have been a miscommunication between the two parties - DAP and Keadilan - due to the press statement released by Wan Azizah.
He said this will help resolve the differences among the four components of BA - PRM, Keadilan, DAP and PAS - with regard to the Suqiu 17-point appeal, which has become embroiled in much controversy lately.
Syed Husin was referring to the contradicting statements by Keadilan president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and DAP chairman Lim Kit Siang in malaysiakini yesterday ([#1]BA leaders at odds over Suqiu's appeals[/#], Dec 19).
Wan Azizah had said in a statement released on Saturday that while BA supported most of the appeals by Suqiu, the coalition has rejected certain clauses that were allegedly against the Constitution.
Specifically, she said, BA rejected the appeals by Suqiu (Chinese Organisations' Election Appeal) regarding the abolishment of the bumiputra and non-bumiputra distinction as well as the ethnic quota system.
Lim, on the other hand, reiterated the joint statement made by BA leaders on Oct 19 last year after their meeting with Suqiu.
"The statement had no specific references to rejecting any of Suqiu's demands," said Lim.
Upholding the Constitution
Syed Husin said that in the joint statement that was released before the general elections, it was stated specifically that all the BA parties agreed to the Suqiu proposals provided that they did not transgress the present Constitution.
"We made our stand known that anything that was against the Constitution will be deliberated upon later and that we agree on those that did not contradict the Constitution.
He said that while the Constitution is not sacred and amendments can be made, the BA manifesto states the component parties will uphold the Constitution.
"It takes time to change the Constitution and until such a time, we will deliberate on matters that go against the Constitution," said Syed Husin.
He further said that there might have been a miscommunication between the two parties - DAP and Keadilan - due to the press statement released by Wan Azizah.
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