Detained Keadilan Youth chief Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor said that the opposition Barisan Alternatif coalition should portray itself as a "moderate coalition" to win the hearts and minds of Malaysians.

"The people are truly in need of a moderate, fair and efficient government," he told 500 youth delegates at the Youth wing's annual general meeting (AGM) in Kemaman, Terengganu.

He suggested the opposition coalition to follow the German concept of zentrumspartei (central party) in its bid to represent all Malaysians.

Ezam also stressed that the Malays on their own cannot bring about a change in the government, adding that all races must be united in rejecting the ruling Barisan Nasional front.

He urged the BA leaders to stop bickering along party lines and campaign under the same banner to establish a new federal government.

"The unity of the people must be represented by all BA leaders," said Ezam.

The Youth meeting will be followed by Keadilan's two-day AGM starting tomorrow, which will see the party's maiden elections.

Ezam's speech was read out by his deputy Mustaffa Kamil Ayub as the Youth chief is presently serving a two-year detention at the Kamunting Detention Centre in Perak under the Internal Security Act since early June for allegedly planning to topple the government through militant means.

Also in detention are four other Keadilan leaders, including its vice-president, Tian Chua.

Support for merger

In his speech, Ezam also urged the youth wing to support the party's merger with PRM as it could strengthen the opposition coalition.

"We have to speed up the merger process and all obstacles should be resolved in a mature and intelligent manner," said Ezam.

"The merger between the two is one of the initial steps to test the openness of a new party with a new political agenda."

Keadilan's merger plans with PRM have, in principle, agreed by the party delegates in a special assembly in June, followed by a similar approval by the PRM delegates in the following month.

However, the move has been put on hold for Keadilan to iron out some constitutional details relating to the merger.

Keadilan Youth has today proposed that the imminent merger between the two parties be completed within three months from the date of today's AGM.

In a two-paged document distributed to delegates, the wing argued that the merger was to attract support from various multi-racial and multi-religious groups.

They also want the new leadership to pay serious attention to the efforts of the merger and complete the process within the shortest time as two-thirds of the delegates have given them the mandate to do so.

DAP's decision 'disappointing'

Ezam also described DAP's departure from BA as "disappointing", especially given that the coalition was to be an umbrella body for all political ideologies.

He nevertheless expressed hope that DAP will still continue to contribute in stabilising the two-year-old front which was established just before the last general elections in November 1999.

The BA was formed by four opposition parties - Keadilan, PAS, DAP and PRM - but Chinese-based DAP pulled out from the coalition in September, stating that it could not agree to the aspirations of Muslim-based PAS in forming an Islamic state.

Elections for party youth posts will be held later today. Ezam has been returned unopposed to his post but Mustaffa will face contest from Lunas assemblyman Saifuddin Nasution Ismail for the deputy post.

A total of six candidates will be contesting for the two vice-chief posts while 44 aspirants will be in the run for the 20 executive committee posts.