PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin explained that his controversial policy speech which challenged Umno to change the federal constitution to guarantee a Malay prime minister was just a "rhetorical device".

Forced to clarify his stand in his winding up speech at the party congress today, Shamsul Iskandar said that what he said was in fact a move that was "ahead of time".

He then referred to the Chinese historical novel, ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms', and strategist Sima Yi, whose successor founded the Jin Dynasty.

Like the Malay PM poser, he said that what Sima Yi had done in his time fueled anger among leaders including the emperor.

NONE Fortunately for the youth chief, however, his leader understood what he tried to do.

"In my case, many don't understand. It was a rhetorical device to challenge Umno. I am impressed that (PKR de facto leader) Anwar (Ibrahim) is the only one who understands because he read (the novel) and understands," he said.

Shamsul Iskandar ( right ) had controversially challenged Umno to change the constitution to guarantee only a Malay person can be appointed Prime Minister, attracting accusations of racism.

Anwar, however, later clarified that this was a "strategy" by the youth chief to show that Umno are not the Malay champions they claim to be, but only manipulate Malay anxieties.

The Dewan Rakyat Opposition Leader added that Pakatan Rakyat MPs will not back such a constitutional change, which requires two-thirds majority support in the house.

Shamsul said that the challenge was made in the context of PKR's push to attract Malay votes as the party will need to stand for elections in areas where they will have to rely on the community's support.

However, he said PKR remains true to its multiracial approach by presenting Anwar as "the father of Malays, the father of Indians and the father of the Chinese".

"(PKR) must find the right and comprehensive way to ensure maximum support from all races, to break the (federal) government and not merely stay as opposition," he said.