The delegates at the PKR Youth annual congress, with some showing no love for the movement’s leadership, called for change and reforms to the party.            

When debating the policy speech by the wing chief, delegates warned for the party to be ready for change and distance themselves from old ways which is destructive for the party.

Azman Nasrudin from the Sungai Petani division said that the youth wing in his division was in near disarray after the last party polls in 2007.

"There was no program or activities organised for the division at all. It was like no one was bothered in uniting the division.

"If we want to pick on the evils of Umno, we can always do that. But the party is no better in making all the members feel welcomed," he said.

Despite the stinging remarks, his audience were thumping tables and shouting in agreement.

He also disagreed with the amendments passed in last year's extraordinary general meeting, bringing down the age limit for youth wing members from 40 to 35.

"I give the leadership four to five months to reform the party. If not, we will reform it by ourselves," he charged.

‘Sack them first’

Syed Hamzah Syed Zainal, a Wangsa Maju division delegate, also urged leaders to be more sensitive to the grouses of the youths, and not just wait for invitations before appearing at functions.

He also called for more credible division leaders, saying that there has to be a more stringent screening process.

"If anyone wants to contest in the division, they would have to spend at least one or two terms at the branch level," he said.

Padang Rengas division delegate Meor Ahmad Ishaara Ishak also called for the top leadership to take more proactive steps in handling defections.

"If they know that a member is about to leave the party, sack them before they have a chance to resign," he said.

"Don't give the mainstream media any chance to manipulate the issue, letting them say things like they are not happy with the leadership," he said.

Grassroots Pakatan secretariat mooted

Meanwhile, some delegates also called for better cooperation with fellow coalition partners in Pakatan Rakyat.

To do so, they urged for a setting up of a Pakatan Rakyat secretariat at division and branch levels.

Ahmad Nazib Johari from the Petra Jaya division said that there was an unwritten rule that PKR members can "take it easy" if the representative in the state legislative or parliamentary constituency is not from the party.

"That mindset has to change, and for us to think on the same track," he said when debating the Pakatan Rakyat resolution.

Bayan Baru's Sim Tze Tzin also said the Pakatan Rakyat is still perceived as a "loose coalition" and that all coalition partners are still working in silo.

"We don't want to hear, Kelantan is a Pas state, or that Penang is a DAP state. We want them to be known as a Pakatan Rakyat state," he said.

He also urged the Menteri Besar and Chief Ministers of the Pakatan led states to work together when it comes to deciding on policies.

Most of the debaters also spared no opportunity in slamming former Youth chief Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor, who left the party for Umno and was subsequently appointed into the senate recently.

"If the defectors are ‘political prostitutes', then Ezam is the pimp,” said Nik Nazmi Nik Mat, delegate from Petaling Jaya Selatan, whose speech was met with loud whoops and cheers.