A veteran opposition leader said today that while Dr Mahathir Mohamad should be made to pay for all his past deeds, the outgoing prime minister should be treated with "due justice and fair play".

"We do not believe in revenge," Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) president Dr Syed Husin Ali ( left ) said in an e-mail interview with malaysiakini .

Despite having contributed much to the country in his 22 years of premiership, Mahathir has been severely criticised for serious abuse of human rights and for practising 'crony capitalism' which cost the country billions of ringgit.

"One of these days, if he lives long enough and God willing, Mahathir's past will catch up with him," said Syed Husin

Mahathir, the longest serving prime minister in Asia, has announced that he would be stepping down from the country's top post at the end of October.

However, Syed Husin does not expect incoming prime minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, to file charges against Mahathir.

"Both of them have sorted out between themselves how best to protect their mutual safety and interests," he quipped.

Syed Husin was referring to the call by former Internal Security Act detainee Hishamudin Rais that the reformasi movement should change its ' Undur, undur Mahathir ' (Mahathir, resign) slogan to ' Tangkap-tangkap Mahathir ' (arrest Mahathir).

'Last congress'

Meanwhile, PRM will be holding its 36th national congress - possibly the party's last - in Kuala Lumpur this weekend. The party's Youth wing will meet on Saturday while its national delegates are scheduled to meet the day after.

PRM will be merging with another opposition party, Keadilan, to form Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). The new party is currently awaiting approval from the Registrar of Societies.

In his policy speech on Sunday, Syed Husin is expected to speak on the post-Mahathir political and economic scenario, the building of PKR as the leading force in the opposition front, and the strengthening of the opposition to ensure better performance in the forthcoming election.

The official launch of the merger between the two parties, which has been stalled several times due to differences between their Youth wings, will be on Aug 3.

"Admittedly, there was an unresolved problem between the youth wings of both parties, but it was already understood that this would not obstruct the merger," said Syed Husin.

While Keadilan Youth comprises male members only, PRM Youth is made up of both genders.

There has been disagreements whether the new party's Youth wing will include both sexes.

Keadilan Youth chief Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor, who was recently released from two-year ISA detention, said that the matter would be left for the party leadership to decide.

Syed Husin expressed confidence that the issue would be resolved in meetings between the two parties this month..