Disciplinary action may be taken against those who were involved in 'illegal' lobbying against the Keadilan-PRM merger, said one of the party's top officials today.

Keadilan secretary-general Anuar Tahir told malaysiakini that there were rumours circulating on such lobbying although the party's secretariat has yet to receive any reports.

"Such behaviour (illegal lobbying) is unethical and if we receive reports, we will forward them to the party's Independent Disciplinary Committee (IDP)," he said.

Anuar said the IDP is headed by former Associate Professor Mokhtar Shafie of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, who is an ordinary party member.

The committee, he said, comprises academics, legal practitioners, ulamas and party members who hold no positions and "have no vested interests in the party".

Recently, malaysiakini reported that members of a faction in Keadilan had carried out intense lobbying against the merger of the two Malay-based opposition party.

Party sources revealed that leaders of this group feared losing their positions and used the excuse that PRM was a socialist or communist party to derail the merger efforts.

However, on Sunday, delegates voted in favour of the merger at the party's special AGM in Kelana Jaya, but the party failed to secure a two-thirds majority needed to proceed with constitutional amendments arising out of the merger.

Not unhappy

Anuar also refuted allegations that he was unhappy with the results of the AGM.

"I am satisfied with the decision although I am aware that some people are out to destroy our image and create problems between the two parties," he told malaysiakini .

"The debate on Sunday went on smoothly and sincerely. There were no untoward incidents. There was also no criticisms hurled against PRM," he added.

He urged all party members to abide by the delegates' decision, saying, "We must respect the decision and close ranks as suggested by our president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail".

On Sunday, a total of 172 delegates, or 63.7 percent, voted in agreement of the merger at the special AGM, with 98 opposing.

They also agreed by 169 to 100 votes, or by 62.6 percent, on a resolution to give the Keadilan supreme council "the mandate to implement all necessary steps in ensuring the success of the merger".

However, the third resolution "to accept and agree to constitutional changes that will arise from the merger", which requires a two-thirds majority decision of 66 percent, only managed to garner 62.2 percent or the votes of 168 delegates.

Party insiders said the failure to secure a two-thirds majority for this resolution was due to the delegates' reluctance to change the name of the party from Parti Keadilan Nasional to Parti Keadilan Rakyat Malaysia (PKRM).

Delegates were also unwilling to concede to changing Keadilan's turquoise blue-based logo to incorporate PRM's red on its left and right borders, they said.

Against constitution

Anuar said he will be writing officially to inform PRM leaders of the decision of the special AGM. PRM will hold its own AGM on July 15 with PRM Youth holding theirs a day before.

Anuar also pointed out that although some may say the Keadilan supreme council has been given the mandate to proceed with the merger, "any decision involving constitutional amendments must be decided by a two-thirds majority".

"To go against this rule is to go against the constitution," he said.

Anuar also said that approval from the Registrar of Societies had yet to be granted for many of the party's divisions.

"I urge the Registrar to speed up the approval. It has been two years," he said, adding the party currently had 97 registered divisions nationwide.