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General election: Opposition parties should ensure straight fights against Barisan Nasional

 

Press Statement
 by Kerk Kim Hock

(Petaling Jaya, Tuesday):  In the 1999 general election, DAP, PAS, Parti Kedilan Nasional and Parti Rakyat Malaysia had come together for the common objectives for democracy, freedom, justice and good governance.

Though DAP has left the Barisan Alternatif (BA) on 22.9.2001 following the failure of the DAP and PAS to resolve the Islamic State controversy, we believe that the Opposition’s winning chances in the coming general election must not be reduced by overlapping contests among the opposition parties.

 

Towards this end, DAP Central Executive Committee has decided to begin seat negotiations with Parti Keadilan Nasional. Two meetings have been held between the negotiation Committees set up by both parties and we expect more meetings to be held soon.

 

It is indeed necessary and important that in facing what is going to be a tough general election, opposition parties should ensure straight fights against the Barisan Nasioanl.

 

I also wish to take this opportunity to register my protest against the unprofessional reporting in today’s Utusan Malaysia report on the question of seats to be contested by the DAP.

 

In a news report titled “ DAP mungkin letak calon di kawasan di tandingi PAS” in today's Utusan Malaysia, the repoter has written that:

 

“ DAP mungkin meletakkan calon di kerusi Parlimen dan Dewan Undangan Negeri yang turut ditandingi Pas pada pilihanraya umum akan datang. 

 

Setiausaha Agung DAP Kerk Kim Hock berkata, ini kerana rundingan bagi megelakkan pertindihan bertanding dengan parti pembankang lain bagi menentang Barisan Nasional (BN) hanya di persetujui antara DAP dan Parti Kedilan Nasional. "

 

I wish to state here that the words in the first paragraph were not uttered by me while contents in the second paragraph were said in a different context.

 

Zulkifli Jalil had telephoned yesterday to ask  me a few questions about DAP ‘s preparation for the coming general election and the following were my replies:

 

  1. DAP has started its election preparation
  2. DAP Central Executive Committee has decided that opposition parties should ensure straight fights against the Barisan Nasional in the coming general election
  3. DAP has started seat negotiation with Parti Keadilan Nasional.
  4. DAP has decided not to have seat negotiations with PAS as there is no overlapping contest problem between the two parties.
  5. Since DAP has left the BA, we will not have a common manifesto with BA

 

I also said that DAP is in the process of intensifying our election preparation. However, I did not say what has been reported in paragraph 11, which contents is as follows: 

 

“ Beliau yang mengelak diri dari menyentuh soal kerjasama dengan Pas berkata, DAP telah pun mengerakan persediaan yang intensive bersama dengan Keadilan untuk menumbangkan BN pada pilihnaraya nanti.”

 

I did not say that DAP has been carrying out intensive preparation with Keadilan to topple the BN in the coming general election.

 

Utusan Malaysia has, by resorting to such unprofessional reporting of attributing to me  words and statements which were not  uttered by me,  clearly breached the ethics of good and responsible journalistic practice. 

(10/6/2003)

* Kerk Kim Hock, DAP Secretary General and MP for Kota Melaka