PAS president Fadzil Noor said that the issue of his party joining ruling coalition Barisan Nasional, which came about from expectations of the "Malay unity" talks between PAS and Umno, is out of the question.

"The worry among PAS members is whether PAS will become part of BN. I strongly state that the issue of PAS entering BN does not arise at all. This is a just a roundtable discussion between PAS and Umno. PAS will not enter BN. This is my promise," said Fadzil, who is also the Opposition Leader.

He added that the condition for the "Malay unity" talks as stated by PAS earlier still stands - that other issues not involving "Malay unity" should also be discussed.

"Our prerequisite is that the issue of national unity must be also discussed," said Fadzil.

Last week, Umno's supreme council has proposed that the talks be held on Feb 19. The technical committees from both parties will meet this week for the second time to determine the agenda of the meeting.

When asked whether he will bring up the issues involving jailed former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim and Terengganu's oil-royalty-turned-goodwill-payment in the talks, Fadzil replied that all issues of injustice and democracy would be brought up by PAS.

He added that Umno seemed to be open to the idea of bringing in other issues to the "Malay unity" talks, and said that PAS would push for all issues to be discussed, even if Umno did not agree that such issues should be raised.

PAS to explain to BA

On the call by DAP chairman Lim Kit Siang for Fadzil to reconsider attending the PAS-Umno talks, Fadzil replied that he would be meeting with Barisan Alternatif leaders to see what they have to say on the PAS-Umno talks.

The opposition Barisan Alternatif coalition, comprising Keadilan and PRM besides DAP and PAS, is expected to meet tonight to discuss the issue.

The PAS president also said that the statement by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad that the Malay Action Front has further split the Malays is "incorrect".

"It is Umno that is further split by the Malay Action Front - not the Malay people. Those who attended the rally were a number of Umno top people and Umno members. The organisation they attacked was Umno itself. So, the split is within Umno and has nothing to do with the Malays elsewhere," he said.

On the statement by Umno Youth head Hishammuddin Hussein that the majority of student leaders are opposing the government, Fadzil said that in saying that, Hishammuddin was actually exposing his own weaknesses.

"He is just pointing fingers at the opposition. He should not do so. We, the opposition leaders, are not even allowed into campuses - only Umno leaders can go to meet the students," he said.

Fadzil was speaking to reporters after visiting the school currently embroiled in controversy, SRJK (C) Damansara in Damansara New Village, Petaling Jaya. Although the school was closed last month, a number of its students refused to be transferred to a temporary school while waiting for a new school to be built in Tropicana ([#1]A school of thought - Are we missing something?[/#] Feb 3).