A splinter group claiming to represent about 100 Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) members is attempting to revive the party, deemed defunct following the establishment of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

Former PRM treasurer Koh Swe Yong told malaysiakini that members who had refused to join PKR - the merged entity of PRM and Parti Keadilan Nasional - have decided to salvage the party which now faces dissolution by the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

"I received a letter from ROS dated Feb 28 asking secretary-general Dr Sanusi Osman to submit the minutes and financial reports for the past three years. I did not know that we had not submitted the relevant documents for the years 2001-2003," he said.

"I went to the Selangor ROS on March 16 and was told that if these reports are not submitted, PRM would be dissolved. I have since asked for an extension and we have until next month to submit the relevant documents."

He said the group's coordinating committee was planning to call a special national congress in the next few months and that a new line-up will be elected.

"The new central committee members would then be able to make the decisions required to prevent the party from being dissolved," he said.

Details about the congress are expected to be revealed at a press conference at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall tomorrow. Co-ordinating committee members Hassan Karim, Gary Nair, SK Song, Salleh Ahmad and Koh will be at the press conference.

'Playing for time'

Koh disagreed that PRM was made defunct by the merger, arguing that no congress had been held to officially dissolve the party.

"Last October, we asked the president and the secretary when this would be done, and were told that this would only come after PKR is strengthened," he said.

He claimed that repeated requests to ex-PRM president Dr Syed Husin Ali (now PKR deputy president) and Sanusi to hold a congress on PRM"s status have been ignored.

"I suspect that they did not want to hold the congress because they were afraid that they would not get the required number of votes to dissolve the party.

"I believe they have been playing for time and this is why they have refused to hold the congress. They said it would be held this year. Maybe they thought that this would not be necessary if the party is dissolved by default for not submitting the documents."

Asked if he had spoken to either Syed Husin or Sanusi on the special congress, Koh said his earlier attempts to communicate with the two proved futile.

"We can't wait for them any more because if we don't act now, the party will be dissolved. Furthermore, their memberships in PRM is nullified because the constitutions prohibits members from holding dual membership. Now that they are involved in PKR, they are no longer PRM members."

Referring to the merger - which had its soft launch in August 2003 and was approved last May - Koh said there were serious reservation within PRM about the move, but that members had agreed to keep the disagreement quiet.

"But to us, there is no merger. A merger would mean that both PRM and Keadilan should dissolve themselves individually, before creating a new party.

"But Keadilan changed a few sections in its constitution and changed its name to PKR. Then PRM joined the party. I don't think this is a merger... it's more like joining them."

Claims denied

When contacted, Syed Husin disputed Koh's claims and urged him to study the minutes of the party's congress in 2001 and 2002, when delegates had made a firm decision on PRM's status in the event the merger materialised.

"The delegates made three significant decisions. Firstly, we agreed to the merger to establish PKR. Secondly, we concluded that all members would automatically become PKR members en bloc. Thirdly, we agreed that once PKR is legally established, PRM would dissolve," he said.

"These are not my decisions or the secretary's alone. These were decided with a thumping majority. Eighty percent of delegates agreed to the resolutions. Koh cannot now change the decisions made."

He said Koh's position as treasurer is questionable because Koh had resigned from the post "some time last year".

"Furthermore, (this group) had never protested becoming part of PKR. It's funny ... he (Koh) was part of PRM negotiating team for the merger."

He said the decision to merge was also the reason why the minutes and financial reports were not sent to the ROS.

"Why was there a need to send these when we had explained the situation to the ROS?" Syed Husin asked.

"If ROS now allows them to continue with the party, then well and good. I wish them luck."