The new Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) line-up illustrates just how much the influence of the Malaysian Muslim Youth Movement (Abim) has waned in the opposition party.

Former PKR secretary-general Mustaffa Kamil Ayub, who has been appointed vice-president in the new line-up unveiled on Sunday, is the only Abim-affiliated leader holding a top party post.

Another Abim-linked leader Abdul Rahman Yusof, who failed in his bid for vice-presidency in the party polls last month, was appointed as a supreme council member.

Merdeka Opinion Research Centre director Ibrahim Suffian said the new line-up shows that Abim's influence in the party has 'diminished'.

However on a positive note, he noted that the new line up reflects an 'end to the internal tussle between the different factions in PKR'.

"PKR has been at the crossroads for so long whether to lean towards Malay nationalism or to attract more non-Malays. Now they've made a choice so they've to move on," he said when contacted yesterday.

The Anwar factor

He said the new line-up stresses that the party was not just fighting for the release of ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.

"They have to work on the ground (to show) that they are a multi-racial party. Not just fighting for the release of Anwar. They have to prove that they serve the interest of the people too," he added.

Anwar, who is the PKR adviser, was among the founding members of Abim. He had led the movement for10 years since 1972, before he was invited by then premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad to join Umno.

However, Anwar who had a meteoric rise to become deputy premier, was sacked by his mentor in 1998 on the grounds of alleged sexual misconduct.

Following this, Anwar's wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, formed Keadilan. In 2003, Keadilan merged with Parti Rakyat Malaysia officially and the new entity came to be known as Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

During its early stages, Abim leaders played a pivotal role in Keadilan. Anuar Tahir and Ruslan Kassim were among the influential leaders in the party.

The Abim-faction suffered its first blow in Keadilan's 2001 elections when key Abim leaders known as the 'Group of Four' failed to win any top posts. The four were Mustaffa, Anuar, Ruslan and Mohd Nur Manuty.

Anuar and Mohd Nur are now with a non-governmental organisation while Ruslan hopped over to Umno just before the general election last year.

The Abim faction had opposed the merger and their differences came to the fore when 22 delegates staged a walk-out during a session to endorse the merger at Keadilan's 2003 annual meet.

'Forced politicians'

In an interview with malaysiakini recently, Mustaffa declined to comment on whether Abim has lost its influence in the party.

"I don't know. More important is the struggle of the party. I don't think it's right and proper if we still think of this (Abim's influence)," he said.

He said the background of party leaders should not be an issue as it will trigger the problem of "labeling each other".

"I don't think it's good to bring strong ideology into the party. But from now on, leaders' backgrounds should not be of any question, otherwise we won't stop labeling each other," he added.

However, Mustaffa conceded that there is still a 'fear of being Abimised' in PKR.

"I don't know how much that phobia is still in PKR. Even when Anwar was in Umno, people in Umno afeared that he would Abimise Umno," he said.

He said the "anti-Abim" sentiment was not really apparent in the recently concluded party elections as it was during the 2001 elections.

On the defeat of Abim leaders in 2001, Mustaffa blamed it on a 'certain quarter' that created the fear of the party being Abimised.

He said most of the Abim leaders who left PKR were "forced-politicians" who joined the party after being asked to do so by Anwar in 1998.

"When they (Abim leaders) felt that old elements of politics still existed in the party they opted to leave," he said without elaborating.

Regarding his appointment, Mustaffa attributed it to his experience and contacts.

"Of cause I've to face the struggle between idealism and reality. PKR is a new party, you can't expect your idealism to be realised overnight. You must be patient," he said.