The top leadership of two opposition parties - Keadilan and PRM - plan to meet the Registrar of Societies (ROS) over its foot-dragging in approving their merger into the 190,000-strong Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

Keadilan secretary-general Abdul Rahman Othman said the parties were disappointed with the registrar who has yet to sanction the application for the new party although the application was submitted eight months ago.

"That is why representatives of the party's transitional supreme council will meet the ROS to seek reasons for the delay as we had submitted our application last November," he said, adding that the meeting is expected to take place this week.

However, Abdul Rahman expressed confidence that approval would be granted before the next general election to enable the party to contest under its new name and logo.

He stressed that the delay on the part of ROS would not stop the launch of the merged party, scheduled to be held on Aug 3 at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall in Kuala Lumpur.

"The delay (in getting ROS' approval) will not affect our launch. We want to launch the party so that we can present to the people our core policies and commitment," he said during a press conference at Keadilan headquarters in Shah Alam this morning.

"Of course, the implementation and the formalities of the merger will be finalised only after we have the approval from the ROS."

The press conference - which was also attended by PRM's deputy president Dr Sanusi Osman and vice-president Lee Sang - was to announce the launching of the new opposition party.

New party polls

Abdul Rahman also revealed that any party election would be held three months after ROS approval is obtained or three months after the general election, whichever is later.

"The first national congress of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat will be held after that. When that happens, members will be entitled to contest for all posts," he said.

Abdul Rahman said the presidents of Keadilan and PRM - Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Dr Syed Husin Ali - will launch the new party at an event to be attended by 2,000 members and supporters.

He said the two leaders will delivering a keynote address each, which will touch on core issues such as policies on international relations, religion, economy, education, women, youth and health.

The party leaders will also make their rounds to meet those at the state level soon after the launch to personally explain the new party's mission and vision.

The merger process began two years ago. Since then leaders of the two parties have held meetings which has led to the formation of a transitional 62-member supreme council (see chart).

The transitional leadership - made up of current leaders from the two parties, the bulk of whom are from the bigger Keadilan - was finalised in February. The line-up at the state level is expected to be finalised in a couple of months' time.

Obstacles to merger

Asked if all the obstacles of the merger process have been settled, Abdul Rahman said minor problems relating to the youth wing are now under final consideration.

"Of course, we faced problems throughout the merger process," he conceded. Both parties are at odds as to whether or not to include women in the new party's youth wing as is currently practised in PRM.

Sanusi, meanwhile, dismissed claims that some PRM members were unhappy with Keadilan's cause to free jailed ex-deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. He said this was the view of only a few individuals.

Sanusi said Anwar's issue is very important because it is a "symbol of injustice" which expounds the seriousness of corruption, abuse of police power and misuse of the media by the country's leaders.

"If that can happen to a deputy prime minister it can happen to anyone. Of course, we will not stop our fight against such corrupt practices when Anwar is freed but will instead go beyond that so that no one faces such injustices," he said.

Abdul Rahman will be PKR's transitional secretary-general, while Sanusi and Lee will fill two of the seven available vice-president posts.