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There has been no consultation between PAS and Pakatan Rakyat parties in Kedah the last 15 months, claims Kedah DAP chairman Thomas Su Keong Siong.

No forums or secretariat were formed for the purpose of consultation, he said.

”And that is what I’ve been trying to do, to set up a secretariat so that we can discuss or resolve any issues before decisions or policies are made.

”We are not saying that the state government should discuss every issue with us but sensitive issues that can potentially create uneasiness or displeasure among the people should be discussed at party level,” Su, who is Pasir Pinji assemblyman, said at his service centre here Friday.

On the pullout of Kedah DAP from Pakatan in Kedah, Su reiterated that it was due to certain policies of the PAS-led state government which were made without care for the non-Malays.

”We feel that the state government is not holding to the principles of Pakatan, which is to protect the interest, rights and welfare of all Malaysians.

”The increase of bumiputra housing quota from 30% to 50% had not been discussed or received the consensus of Pakatan as a whole.

”And just a few days ago, the sole abattoir in the state was demolished although DAP had tried its best to resolve the issue,” he said.

Su claimed that the DAP had received information that the Alor Setar city council had approved the demolishment of some Hundu and Chinese temples.

”Each time such things happened and there was no consultation with the DAP it made it very hard for us to face the people,” he said.

Su said the DAP had reacted to the abattoir issue not because it concerned the Chinese, “(but) because we feel that the state government has totally disregarded the rights of the non-Malays.”

The abattoir issue, Su added, was also a food issue and involved peoples’ livelihood.

Su, who noted that Kedah DAP was awaiting the approval of the party’s central executive committee on its decision to pull out of the state Pakatan, said any withdrawal would not affect Pakatan although certain implications might arise.

”We want to stress and explain that what has happened is confined to Kedah, where we found it impossible to contribute and work together in the spirit of Pakatan,” he said.

KULASEKARAN : SAYA MENYOKONG PENUH

DAP Pusat menyokong kepimpinan parti itu di peringkat Kedah yang semalam memutuskan untuk keluar Pakatan Rakyat ekoran kegagalan kerajaan negeri menyelesaikan siri masalah sejak Mac 2008.

"Saya menyokong penuh dan memberi 'perakuan' ke atas keputusan untuk membawa keluar DAP daripada Pakatan Rakyat demi kepentingan rakyat," kata Naib Pengerusi DAP, M. Kulasekaran ketika ditemui di sini.

Beliau yang juga Ahli Parlimen Ipoh Barat berkata, kepimpinan tertinggi DAP menyedari kewujudan isu-isu yang menjadi punca kepada perkembangan terbaru ini.

Difahamkan dalam apa juga kes membabitkan tindakan DAP negeri, keputusan mereka perlu memperoleh perakuan kepimpinan pusat iaitu Jawatankuasa Eksekutif Pusat (CEC) yang merupakan badan tertinggi membuat keputusan.

Sambil mengakui dua isu utama iaitu penutupan pusat penyembelihan babi di Alor Setar dan kuota 50 peratus ekuiti bumiputera dalam projek pembangunan perumahan yang dikuatkuasakan sejak September lalu, Kulasekaran berkata:

"Menteri Besar Kedah seharusnya dan sewajarnya telah menyelesaikan isu-isu ini."

Beliau turut melahirkan kebimbangan masalah yang sama akan "menjangkiti negeri-negeri lain."

"Kebimbangan saya ialah perpecahan di Kedah akan merebak ke negeri-negeri lain. Keadaan ini sudah tentu perlu dikawal.

"Sebelum kita mencari penyelesaian, kita perlu mencari punca masalah," katanya.

Semalam DAP Kedah memutuskan untuk keluar daripada Pakatan Rakyat ekoran tindakan kerajaan negeri itu yang didakwa tidak menyelesaikan siri isu sejak selepas pilihan rayau mum 2008.

Keputusan untuk keluar Pakatan Rakyat Kedah diputuskan oleh DAP petang semalam, demikian menurut Pengerusi DAP Kedah dan Perlis, Thomas Su.

"Ini keputusan mutkamad kami (DAP Kedah)," kata beliau.