July 13, 2009

A Malaysian ethnic Chinese political leader on Friday (July 10) said his party withdrew a threat to quit the opposition alliance in Kedah state, after resolving a row with its Muslim allies over a pig slaughterhouse.

Tension over the decision by state authorities in Kedah to demolish an illegal pig slaughterhouse had threatened to split the Pakatan Rakyat alliance, which groups the multiracial Keadilan party; the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, or PAS; and the ethnic Chinese-dominated Democratic Action Party, or DAP.

Last week, the DAP threatened to pull out of the Kedah government - which is ruled by the Pakatan Rakyat but dominated by the PAS - because of opposition among the Chinese community to the demolition of the slaughterhouse, the only one in the state.

The Chinese wanted a replacement before the illegal facility was pulled down.

The pork industry is a sensitive issue in Malaysia, where Muslim Malays dominate the population, alongside substantial Chinese and Indian minorities. Pigs are considered unclean in Islam.

The DAP decided to stay in the state government after the PAS promised to find a new location for the slaughterhouse.

"We have decided to withdraw our decision to pull out from the Kedah state government," DAP Kedah state chief Thomas Su said.

"We are happy now," he said. "We are willing to cooperate with the state government to continue to defend the rights and interest of all Malaysians."

The opposition alliance enjoyed unprecedented poll success last year, seizing control of a third of seats in parliament and control of four states, including Kedah - its best result ever.

However, the wide ideological gulf between member parties has resulted in a series of wrangles and rows that threaten to jeopardize its plan to seize power from the Barisan Nasional coalition, which rules nationally. Barisan Nasional means "National Front" in the Malay language.