I was astonished to read your reports on the controversy surrounding Berita Keadilan editor Khalid Jaafar's resignation. It was obvious to me and perhaps many other party delegates who were present in Sungai Petani that the reports were written without proper facts.

Therefore, let's get the facts right:

  • Saifuddin Nasution Ismail did not mention any name when he delivered Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor's keynote address. The full text is published on the official Pemuda Keadilan's website .

    • What Saifuddin did say was Pemuda wanted an end to the Umno and Barisan Nasional brand of politics not unknown for anonymous criticisms and vilification through poison-pen letters and back-biting, threats through SMS and intense intra-party politicking. So when Youth exco member S Manikavasagam resigned in protest of supposedly personal attacks made by Saifuddin against supreme council member N Gobalakrishnan, one can only make their own conclusions.

  • Manikavasagam was not Selangor Youth chief as quoted in your report

    • . I am sure Hamidzun Khairuddin, the rightful head, would have had the surprise of his life when he read the article.

  • Pemuda made an open and public suggestion to the president that the quota for the vice president post reserved for an Indian leader to be filled immediately. Contrary to your report, Pemuda representatives during the general assembly last weekend had also put forward Gobalakrishnan and Dr Xavier Jeyakumar, also a supreme council member, as potential candidates for the post. Therefore the issue that Pemuda is against certain candidates for the post does not arise.

  • There was an undercurrent against Khalid Jaafar in the last PAT because two of the people Berita Keadilan supposedly interviewed in its 'report card' for Pemuda denied their ever being interviewed. Many Pemuda delegates also believe that Khalid has made Berita Keadilan his own newspaper, not Keadilan's organ.

    • It is an open secret that news concerning certain leaders not aligned to his factions was never published and those close to him will always get a glossy report. It is my opinion that the 'report card' controversy was the straw that broke the camel's back. Pemuda members had tolerated Khalid's game for far too long, and when it was clear the report was intended to undermine Pemuda and get him in some other leaders' good book — no one could stop the flood of emotions against him.

  • Khalid was not present to accept criticisms against him throughout the PAT. In fact, his own resignation had to be announced by the party president. I find it a bit rich for him to accuse his critics of not being able to accept criticisms, when he chose not to defend his reputation and refute allegations hurled at him throughout the PAT that the interview was fabricated.

    • It is disturbing that respected independent writers like Fathi Aris Omar jumped to the conclusion

    that the whole debacle is about press freedom inside political parties without checking with both sides first. It is even sadder when some of them joined the bandwagon and accused Keadilan generally, and Pemuda specifically, of trying to stifle criticisms levelled at the leadership.

    This is not about the freedom of expression in Keadilan — that right was thoroughly exercised by the delegates in the last PAT who were brave enough to criticise the party and the leadership. Freedom of expression is alive in Keadilan, that is why people aligned with Khalid Jaafar can go around making ridiculous insinuations and suggestions that his 'crusade' was thwarted by party leaders intolerant of his criticisms.

    What matters to common members like me is the party upholds the ideals which have brought together people of diverse background and religion in this party. Khalid Jaafar had to resign because he put his personal interest above that of the party's and I am proud that Keadilan members have the moral courage not to allow people like this to continue their personal agenda, no matter how high he is in the party hierarchy.

    Whether the whole debacle opened a can of worms or not, what I can be certain of is that this party can stand the test of time as it is prepared to put the common interest of its members above personal agenda.

    Editor's note: S Manikavasagam is the deputy chief of Selangor Keadilan Youth, and not the chief as stated in our report

    . We regret the error.