Keadilan Youth deputy chief Saifuddin Nasution Ismail's abrupt resignation announcement yesterday as the party's number two has 'surprised' even his own comrades in the Youth wing.

Keadilan Youth acting secretary Saiful Izham told malaysiakini today that members were not really happy with the decision but respected Saifuddin's intention to give way to PRM leader Faisal Sanusi to lead the Youth wing of the merged Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

"We feel that he [Saifuddin] is the o­nly national leader who can lead us after Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor. We've asked him many times to reconsider his decision but he is standing by it," said Saiful.

Youth chief Mohd Ezam is currently serving a two-year jail term in Kajang under the Official Secrets Act.

"But we are also aware of Faisal's commitment to the struggle. He is Mohd Ezam's choice and we accept it," added the Youth leader.

Yesterday, malaysiakini reported that Saifuddin had tendered his resignation as the party's second man to pave the way for a PRM leader to be the new deputy in the upcoming Keadilan-PRM transitional leadership line-up.

Temporary measure

Saifuddin said he had recently handed over his letter to Ezam, proposed Faisal as the deputy for the transitional leadership, the line-up of which will be confirmed by leaders of both parties in Shah Alam tomorrow.

In his letter, Saifuddin told Ezam that he would relinquish the deputy's post so that Ezam would be free to accept Faisal as the Number Two of the youth wing in the newly merged party.

Although the news stunned some party members, Keadilan Youth leaders had already been 'warned' about the departure of Saifuddin, sometime ago.

Saiful said their deputy reminded them that his service in the Youth wing was a "temporary measure" which came after Mohd Ezam's arrest.

"Now he has to focus o­n the coming elections, especially in Kedah [where he is deputy chief]. He is also o­ne of the most effective state representatives," he added.

Saiful said Saifuddin had contributed much to the wing although his leadership style was different from that of Mohd Ezam.

He added that Saifuddin had managed to steer the youth wing back o­n the right track after it faced some uncertainties due to Mohd Ezam's detention.

But top leaders of Keadilan and PRM are still mum over the storm brewing over the new transitional leadership line-up.

Contributing better

Contacted o­n the spate of resignations caused by the new line-up, Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail declined to comment beyond saying that members "want to see where they can contribute better".

It is learnt that Keadilan secretary general Sahri Bahri has also tendered his resignation after being offered the assistant sec-gen's post.

The party's deputy Dr Abdul Rahman Othman is believed to be slated for the sec-gen post as his position will be taken over by PRM president Dr Syed Husin Ali.

Meanwhile, Syed Husin said he was not aware of any storm brewing over the line-up nor about the resignations in Keadilan.

"Let's wait and see. We have already decided o­n the line-up and will launch it soon for all to see," added the PRM chief.