Karpal Singh issues quit threat if DAP joins forces with Barisan Nasional

(THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Democratic Action Party chairman Karpal Singh said he would leave the party if it were to join Barisan Nasional.

"Joining Barisan is completely out of the question. I'll be the first to walk out if that happens, and I'm sure 100 per cent of party members will walk out with me," he said.

However, Mr Karpal said DAP was prepared to work with Barisan if the ruling coalition was willing to fully accept the opposition Pakatan Rakyat's election manifesto.

"(DAP adviser) Lim Kit Siang said it would be better if Barisan joins Pakatan.

"We can work with Barisan, only if they accept the Pakatan manifesto, then we will give serious consideration (to collaborate)," he said in his speech at a DAP conference attended by its elected representatives.

Former Information Minister Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin had suggested in his blog that DAP should join Barisan to represent the Chinese community.

Penang Chief Minister and party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the DAP would never join Barisan due to differing principles.

"We have our ideals and principles. If we wanted to have positions and join Barisan, we could've been ministers a long time ago instead of crawling in prison," he said in his speech.

Mr Lim Guan Eng said the party's central executive committee had endorsed Parti Keadilan Rakyat leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the opposition leader for the current parliamentary term.