Pre-merger talks between the youth wings of Keadilan and PRM seemed to have reached a temporary lull over disagreement to allow women to join the youth movement of the merged entity.

Keadilan Youth information chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin said that Wednesday's discussion between the two groups, did not arrive at any decision o­n allowing women to be members of the new youth wing. Keadilan vice-president Mohd Azmin Ali chaired the meeting

Women make up approximately 30 per cent of PRM Youth's membership while Keadilan Youth's membership policy is limited to men o­nly.

"Keadilan Youth is not rejecting the proposal to include women into (the merged party's) youth wing outright, but is however asking for more time," he said, adding that in order not to disrupt the merger process between the parties, the inclusion should o­nly happen after the coming together of the main components have been formalised.

Political calculation

However, he declined to say exactly when Keadilan Youth hopes to see the inclusion of women into the youth wing, but added that he personally would like to see it to happen before the general election.

In explaining the movement's decision to delay, Badrul said the wing considers this as a "political calculation."

"While both parties have agreed in principle to embrace the women's participation in the wing, this may not sit well with the Malay community and therefore more time is needed to cultivate the ground in accepting change."

Badrul added that Keadilan Youth expects to convene a meeting in o­ne to two weeks' time to discuss and possibly come to a vote o­n the question.

The youth wing had previously voted to keep the existing policy of barring women from being members of the post-merger youth wing. However, they agreed to discuss the issue further following advice by the supreme council to reconsider o­n the basis that new space must be opened up to legitimise women's participation in politics.

Responding o­n how this impasse will affect the merger between the two parties, Badrul said that the issue "does not factor into the merger process."

Technically, the merging of Keadilan and PRM is pending approval by the Registrar of Societies. For all intents and purposes however, the merger will be formalised during a launch ceremony, now postponed to the middle of July from the original date of May 25, 2003. The merged entity will be known as Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

Further delays in settling the issue of women's membership into the party will pose a problem - if the issue is not solved before the merger, the line-up for the youth leadership cannot be announced.

Stress o­n equality

While acknowledging that this is a concern, PRM Youth vice-president Jonson Chong said that their main argument for the participation of women is o­ne of equality and non-discrimination.

While he expects further discussion with Keadilan Youth o­n the matter, he also urged the involvement of the central leadership o­n the issue

"We don't think the matter should be left to the youth alone to decide, as it is a policy matter that involves both parties," he said.

He further questioned the assertion that voters o­n the ground are not ready for women politicians within the youth wing, pointing out the composition of the Keadilan supreme council, with Wan Azizah, a woman, at its helm.

"Furthermore, it is the role of leaders to take the lead and affect change in society, by doing it (opening the youth wing to women) ourselves and not discriminating between men and women," he said.

To take the stand of political expediency when it comes to an issue of principle, added Chong, is impractical.

At the meeting between the two sides, Keadilan Youth was represented by deputy youth chief Low Chee Cheong, vice-president Zahid Mohd Arip, and treasurer Rafizi Ramli. PRM Youth o­n the other hand was represented by its deputy chief Latheefa Koya ( photo ), Chong, treasurer Faisal Mustaffa and executive committee member Muhammad Ali Syed Husin.

Platform for women

Mohd Azmin, who is also state assembly representative for Hulu Kelang, tabled results of the youth discussion during Keadilan's supreme council meeting yesterday. He could not be reached for comment.

When contacted, Keadilan vice-president Dr Xavier Jeyakumar ( photo ) maintains that the supreme council stand remains for the inclusion of women into the new youth wing.

"The whole idea is to be progressive, open the agenda to encourage women's participation into mainstream politics. The way to do this is to provide political platform to young women under the Angkatan Muda," he said.

Asked whether the talks had reached a stalemate and would require the central leadership to step in with a final decision, he explained said that the "problem at first was o­ne of misunderstanding".

"Hopefully they would be able to settle the issue among themselves despite the different and diverse views of the individuals involved in the talks."

Xavier expressed confidence that the issue would be resolved before the merger launch.