DAP today said that the question of cooperation between Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) for the 15th general election (GE15) was a non-issue as the latter was part of the present government bloc.

DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the “big tent” strategy agreed on in the Port Dickson Resolution referred only to cooperation among opposition parties.

“All PH parties must realise that it would be very difficult to work with PN given our black history with its components,” he said in a statement responding to Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub who yesterday urged PH to “forgive and forget” in opening the door to discussions with Bersatu and PAS.

Salahuddin, who is also vice-president of PH, said the opposition would need to think of a pact that would allow a straight fight with Barisan Nasional (BN), adding that talks between PH, Bersatu and PAS should be held sooner rather than later.

“We do not need to make a decision at the moment. We just need to meet and talk. If before, we were not friends, we do not need to continue our enmity,” he said.

His comments were a break from the stand of Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, who said that any cooperation among political parties under the “big tent” approach should not take into consideration those from BN or PN.

“It does not include alliances or cooperation with parties in the government, whether Umno, Bersatu or PAS,” he said, adding that there was “no way” that PH would work with “traitors” whom he said comprised those who had jumped ship to Bersatu and PN.

Loke said Salahuddin’s remarks were his personal opinion, and that the PH Presidential Council had never come to such an agreement.

He also urged PH leaders to discuss all views on political cooperation with other parties within the council instead of communicating them in open statements, in order to prevent confusion among members and supporters.

“All decisions about directions and cooperation outside of the PH framework must be made together by the Presidential Council,” he said.