Keadilan Youth exco members have endorsed a suggestion to work with their PRM counterparts under a single committee.

Youth chief Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor told malaysiakini today that he and PRM Youth head Faizal Sanusi could establish the joint committee to facilitate pro-active decisions and actions at their level.

The main sections of the two parties have already agreed to merge as Parti Keadilan Rakyat , and are awaiting approval from the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

"Keadilan Youth are willing to work together with PRM Youth. I believe this pact will smoothen the on-going merger process at our level," he said when contacted today.

The decision was made during a Youth exco meeting on Saturday at the party headquarters in Shah Alam.

It was Mohd Ezam's first official meeting with the exco after his release on bail two weeks ago from Kajang prison, where he was serving a two-year sentence for breaching the Official Secrets Act. He has since appealed against the conviction and sentence.

"We came up with the idea as we do not want technical issues to delay the merger process. I will take up the idea with the youth wings at state level and am confident that there will not be any strong objections," he said.

He also expressed hope that the joint-committee could hold its first meeting within a month, saying this "would show the youth's commitment to make the merger a success".

Women's membership

On disagreement over the entry of women to the merged youth movement - one of the main reasons why talks have stalled - Mohd Ezam said the issue was out of the youth exco's hands.

"We are leaving the matter to the party leadership. If left to us, we may not be able to come up with a sound decision. Conflict of interest would arise. The top leadership will be able to make a fair decision," he said.

Mohd Ezam also claimed that objections to admitting women were due to misunderstanding among members.

"After we talked to them (youth exco members), many changed their position. More seem to welcome the idea of women being part of the movement. As for me, I welcome anyone who can contribute positively to the wing, " he said.

PRM Youth receptive

Meanwhile, Faizal said he welcomed both decisions made by his counterparts in Keadilan.

He said the establishment of a joint-committee would be in line with the decision made by the top leadership.

It currently operates under the Parti Keadilan Rakyat pro tem committee headed by Keadilan and PRM leaders, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Dr Syed Husin Ali.

"It is a good move and I believe that PRM Youth will have no problems working this out," he said.

On the matter of women's admission into the merged youth movement, Faizal said PRM Youth has always believed that the solution lies in the party's policies.

"We have stressed before that the issue is a party issue. It is the party that must make the decision. So what they (Keadilan Youth) have decided is similar to our views," he said.