GEORGE TOWN, March 8 — DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said today his party’s cooperation with Umno is on an ad hoc basis and only on issues that benefit the public.

He stressed that DAP does not plan to partner Umno for the coming general election, widely believed will be called this year.

"Don’t interpret this as more than what I said, there was nothing about cooperating with Umno for the general elections,” he said in a press conference at the Penang DAP headquarters here.

He said the party’s stance on cooperation with Umno has always been the same, that DAP is only willing to show its support to Umno on individual issues that benefit the people.

"We are willing to cooperate with Umno if it is public issues that benefit the rakyat, such as about convening the Parliament,” he said.

He said DAP has always kept to this stance over the years since the 1970s as it will support any issue that is advantageous for the people.

He pointed out that DAP had supported the Covid-19 measures and vaccination programme introduced by the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government as this benefits the people.

Lim was responding to a question on the possibility of DAP working with Umno, especially in the next election.

The Bagan MP also said DAP will not support party hopping, even if it does not contradict the Federal Constitution.

He said allegations that Penang’s anti-hopping enactment contradicts the Federal Constitution can best be decided in court.

He was responding to PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan who said it is not wrong for elected representatives to switch parties in between elections.

Lim accused Takiyuddin of contradicting the political principles held by past PAS leaders on the subject.

"In Islam, apostasy is not allowed, so why is it that leaving a political party is allowed?” he asked.