exclusive Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Youth chief Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor has decided to quit politics by the end of the year and focus on a 'new experiment'.

In an exclusive interview with malaysiakini , he expressed no intentions of holding any posts in the opposition party, which he helped create during the height of the reformasi movement in 1999.

"I don't have plans (to go for higher posts). Youth chief will be my last post as far as this party is concerned.

"No, I will not quit the party. I will remain as an ordinary member. You can say that I am going back to being one of the grassroots," he added

Asked when he would tender his official resignation, the former political secretary to ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim said he planed to leave before the PKR annual congress slated for December.

"Technically my term ends in 2007. I have made it clear that I will not run again. But I am not waiting until then. I am prepared to leave to provide room for the second echelon to take over before the coming congress," he added.

Will he reconsider?

Mohd Ezam, 37, said he would reconsider returning to the political arena if and when the 'situation improves' for opposition parties.

During the last party congress, the PKR leader had already expressed his intention to step down as Youth chief. This sparked off rumours that he would rejoin Umno.

He was forced to deny this on several occasions, the last being at the party's annual meet in December, where he told delegates that he had joined Umno because of Anwar.

Anwar, who is now the adviser of PKR helmed by his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, was once Umno deputy president. He was sacked from the government and party in 1998 and subsequently spent about six years in prison after being convicted of corruption and sodomy.

However, Anwar claimed that the charges were trumped up and that he was the victim of a political conspiracy authored by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The latter has denied this charge.

Meanwhile, Mohd Ezam was confident that his decision will not come as a shocker to party leaders, whom he said were informed about his intention as far back as September 2004 when Anwar was released from prison after his sodomy conviction was overturned by the Federal Court.

"(My wish) was to end my era as the Youth chief after the release of Anwar Ibrahim. I believe that was the right moment to leave and I made it quite clear that I did not want to run for the Youth chief post in the last party election (2004)," he said.

However, he was then persuaded to stay by Anwar and other party leaders in order not to affect the merger between Parti Keadilan Nasional and Parti Rakyat Malaysia to form PKR.

At the last annual congress, Mohd Ezam said he once again conveyed his desire to step down and this time around the leaders relented.

"They agreed but persuaded me to make it public after the congress. They wanted the congress to be smooth and controversy-free and I agreed with them," he added.

Fighting from the outside

Mohd Ezam, a former Internal Security Act and Official Secrets Act detainee, said he has "contributed enough for the party" since its inception.

He conceded that the limitations imposed on opposition parties in this country was one the reasons behind his decision to quit politics and "experiment with something new".

"I want to see whether it is more effective to pursue reforms and changes from the outside. I tried doing it within a party but there are too many limitations.

"We have a society that is ignorant of its rights and the basic principles of democracy like freedom of press and expression. So there is a need to go back to the ground to educate them on these issues," he said.

Mohd Ezam said his decision to establish Gerak , a corruption watchdog, were also a response to the false perception that PKR was only concerned about Anwar.

"For seven years the party was seen as championing the cause of one person: Anwar Ibrahim. This is untrue," he stressed.

Through Gerak, he said he will remain committed to PKR Youth and the party's agenda for reform.

New leaders

Mohd Ezam also expressed confidence over the second generation of youth leaders who will take over, adding that the process would become clear over the coming weeks.

As for his possible replacement, he said the obvious favourite was current Youth vice-president Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin.

"Well, it's not my choice really but rather the choice of the youth members... they chose to put Shamsul as the number one vice-president. He is considered as representing the young: He's below 35 and has been actively involved in the wing for the past couple of years.

"Many regard him as a natural youth leader. I have full confidence and trust that the wing will succeed," he added.