Karpal: Pakatan can be wrong too

(The Star) - The DAP must speak up when Pakatan Rakyat does something wrong, said party chairman Karpal Singh.

He cited the recent demolition of a Hindu altar in a house in Taman Seroja in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi last week and the Kelantan municipal council by-laws prohibiting women from cutting men's hair in the state, saying both were wrong.

“The DAP's principles since its early days remain intact. We must point out when Pakatan is wrong,” he said.

Describing the Sepang Municipal Council (MPSP)'s action to demolish the altar as a “complete abuse of power”, Karpal said Pakatan must be sensitive to what is dear to the people.

He said Pakatan must not make mistakes and provide Barisan Nasional with “cannon fodder” to attack it.

“I've taken off my coat and I'm ready for battle. There's no doubt in my mind that we will retain Penang and win back Perak,” he declared.

Karpal, who is the Bukit Gelugor MP, “guaranteed” that the DAP would defend and win 19 state seats.

“We have high hopes that PKR will win more than nine seats with PAS holding on to what it has (in Penang),” he said at the party's annual state convention here on Sunday.

In his speech, state party chief Chow Kon Yeow said the Malays would remain in power (in their own land) if Pakatan took over Putrajaya.

He said the coming general election was the most important for the country as it would determine the nation's future direction.

“The latest prediction is that Barisan will win 120 seats compared to 100 to Pakatan if the election is held now.

“We are ready to face Umno and Barisan but we must use the coming 50 to 100 bonus days' to double our efforts,” he said.

He warned that Islamic issues such as calls for PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang to be the prime minister if Pakatan comes into power, must be handled well.

The debates at Sunday's meeting saw the proposal for DAP to adopt a one-man one-seat policy being fiercely debated by its delegates.

Taman Alma DAP branch head David Marshall, who is also DAP Socialist Youth (Dapsy) executive council member, said central executive committee (CEC) should not prevent party leaders from discussing the policy.

“The state committee members should explain their stand on the issue,” he said.

In a hastily staged press conference later, Chow said the policy had been raised numerous times in the CEC and national congress.

“CEC will table a resolution on the policy during the 16th National Congress to enable delegates to decide on whether to endorse or otherwise on this matter,” he explained.