KUALA LUMPUR: Gerakan will not hesitate to quit Perikatan Nasional if its component parties do not respect the rights of non-Muslims, says the party's deputy president amid a row with Pas over school donations.
Oh Tong Keong said Gerakan would not mind leaving PN to defend Chinese education, and if they have to submit to "unreasonable" demands by "certain parties".
He was responding to Pas information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari's remarks over Gerakan's stance on the issue of an alcohol company's donation to schools.
Fadhli had described Gerakan's stance as "disappointing" and said it could affect the possibility of Pas working together with Gerakan in the next general election (GE16).
Oh said Gerakan has been consistent in its stance that alcohol or tobacco companies should not be prevented from donating funds to Chinese vernacular schools.
"Gerakan reaffirms its strong support for the Chinese community's efforts to raise funds for Chinese education.
"Despite unreasonable threats from PN allies that there will be no further cooperation in the upcoming general election, we are ready to face them," Oh said in a statement today.
Oh said Gerakan quit Barisan Nasional in 2018 in opposition to its "corrupt coalition partners".
Similarly, if PN parties continue to display "extremism" and violate the rights of non-Muslims, Gerakan will quit the coalition.
"Although Pas has the most parliamentary and state assembly seats and is the largest party in PN, it must respect other parties in the coalition.
"They should not act like a 'big brother' and demand compliance from all other parties. They must learn to convince others through reasoned arguments," Oh said.
Previously, Gerakan president Datuk Dr. Dominic Lau defended donations for vernacular schools from alcohol and tobacco companies, saying these schools did not receive sufficient funds from the government to operate.