Keadilan Melaka's state committee is expected to spearhead a meeting among the state's Barisan Alternatif leaders to draw-up a proposal for the coalition's candidates to contest all the Malacca state seats in the next general elections.

A high-ranking party source who revealed this today, added that BA leaders are expected to issue a joint-press statement on the matter sometime this week.

However, the proposal, which will be sent to the BA presidential council next month, is expected to incur the wrath of DAP leaders, who have always prided themselves of being able to maintain several seats in the state.

DAP currently has a parliamentary seat in Kota Melaka, and three state assembly seats in Durian Daun, Tengkera, and Bandar Hilir.

However, Keadilan Melaka state chief Khalid Jaffar could not be reached for confirmation.

After an impasse with PAS over the Islamic state issue that resulted in DAP quitting the three-year-old BA last year, DAP now appears to be at loggerheads with Keadilan.

Firstly, the party issued a ban on its members helping Keadilan during the recently concluded Indera Kayangan by-election in Perlis.

The rationale: DAP did not want to be dragged into the Islamic state controversy nor did it want to be seen as supporting PAS on the issue.

Factionalism problem

The relationship between the two parties became soured further after the by-election when Keadilan claimed it had garnered an increase in Chinese votes.

DAP national chairperson Lim Kit Siang challenged the claim and insisted that Keadilan leaders issue an official stand on the figures as there were several conflicting versions.

This led Keadilan vice-president Azmin Ali to question Lim's motive in criticising the party and not MCA or Barisan Nasional who he alleged employed "dirty tactics" in securing victory at the by-election.

Azmin, who was his party's campaign director for the by-election, also claimed Keadilan could shore up Chinese support without DAP's help.

Lim later said since Keadilan is unable to clarify the matter, he will let the issue rest. The veteran politician said he was threatened not to harp on the issue but declined to reveal who had issued the threat.

Recent developments also revealed that DAP is mired with problem of factionalism in Melaka.

The problem took centre-stage last November when the party's Bukit Beruang state secretary Steven Ho got into a melee with state deputy chairman Goh Leong San.

Ho claimed Goh had pushed him during a Wanita DAP function at the state's party headquarters. Goh, who lodged a police report, accused Ho of verbally abusing him.

The skirmish resulted in both the state leaders being suspended.