KL opposition party mulls alliance exit

KL opposition party mulls alliance exit

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Malaysia's main Chinese-based opposition party said on Thursday it would decide next month whether to leave the nation's opposition front after a row with the alliance's Islamic party.

The Democratic Action Party (DAP), Malaysia's main opposition until a resurgence by the Parti Islam Malaysia (PAS) two years ago, will consider quitting the PAS-led Barisan Alternatif front at a party meeting in August, vice chairman Lim Guan Eng said.

"Our members are very unhappy with PAS for breaking assurances that it won't try to form an Islamic state in multireligious, multiracial and multicultural Malaysia," Lim said.

DAP and PAS joined forces in the 1999 general elections within the four-member Barisan Alternatif, set up to woo majority Malays to the opposition following the ouster from government of former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.