updated version

Four Abim-affiliated leaders in Keadilan today rejected the posts offered by the party president, claiming that they wanted to give others the chance to lead instead.

The four - Dr Muhammad Nur Manuty, Mohd Anuar Tahir, Ruslan Kasim and Mustaffa Kamil Ayub - had been appointed top posts until they were defeated in the party's first election two weeks ago.

They denied pressuring party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to include them in the supreme council.

"None of us telephoned, met, wrote or sent a message to the president to force her to appoint us into any positions," the four said in a press statement.

The former supreme council leaders also questioned the validity of the party's third annual general meeting held in Kemaman last weekend.

"Our grassroots members are complaining about the presence of branch delegates who have not fulfilled the requirements of the party's constitution," the four said.

Formalise line-up

Two months leading up to the AGM, factionalism threatened to tear apart the party. The two prominent factions, one led by members affiliated to the Malaysian Muslim Youth Movement (Abim) and the other by so-called ex-Umno members, appeared to be on a collision course. However, the situation has abated after the resounding results in the election which saw victory to the latter.

The party held a special meeting today to fill up the appointed posts and formalise the party line-up.

Five new members were appointed into the 25-member executive committee. They are Aminah Ferrar, Dr Pratap Singh Man, N Gobalakrishnan, Khalid Jaafar and Saari Sungib. The rest had been voted in during the election on Nov 10.

Also appointed were secretary-general Sahri Bahari ( picture left ), who replaces Anuar, treasurer Christina Liew, who takes over from Abdul Rahman Othman, newly elected as deputy president.

However, two vice-president and the information chief posts were left vacant. Ruslan was the former information chief.

At a press conference after the meeting, Wan Azizah said the party's decision not to announce the information chief yet was a "strategic move". On the vice-president posts, she said that there were many potential candidates.

"We appoint people based on their performance and contribution to the party. They must be quality and responsible people," she added.

Huge task

Meanwhile, newly-appointed secretary-general Sahri said he had a huge task ahead of him. His priorities included completing the registration of the 73 divisions in various states and the impending merger with Barisan Alternatif coalition partner PRM.

Keadilan has about 200,000 members in 120 registered divisions throughout the country.

"The party is trying to set up a branch in every parliamentary constituency. We were not able to do so due to the last general elections in 1999 and several by-elections after that," Saari told reporters after the meeting.

On the party's merger with the 45-year-old PRM, Sahri said the process may take a year despite the youth wing's resolve to have it completed within three months.

He said an emergency general meeting will be held to amend the constitution. However, he did not say when, beyond stating that the decision may be made at the party's first supreme council meeting in a fortnight.