Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) youth chief Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor stepped down from his party post yesterday along with his deputy Faizal Sanusi. They both cited their age as the main factor in relinquishing their posts.

Ezam, 40, and Faizal, 39, said they are abiding by the party's age cap of 40 for youth wing members and said the decision was made as early as December last year at the party's national congress meet in Penang.

Ezam, who held the post for seven years, paved way for 31-year-old lawyer Samsul Iskandar, who will serve as acting youth chief until party elections are held next year.

Ezam however said he will continue to play an active role in the party. He is the party's Selangor deputy chairman and is also the Shah Alam party division chief.

He said that the Keadilan youth wing should be filled with young members. He added that the party should set an example to the Barisan Nasional component youth wings which are "led by the older generation".

"When dealing with politics and non-government organisations, it is better that younger people handle them," he told reporters at a press conference held at PKR headquarters in Brickfields yesterday.

New organisation

Ezam quelled speculations that further promotions await him, adding that he intends to concentrate on Gerak, an NGO that advocates free press and an independent judiciary, which he heads.

"At this time, I do not intend to receive any high posts from the party. I am confident that the youth wing, under Samsul would strive to be more dynamic and relevant," he said.

Samsul said the wing would be focussing in the illegal racing, a rampant problem affecting Malay youths.

"We don't agree with what Umno youth is doing, by courting these racers to join their ranks. We are offering a new alternative solution to the problem," he said.

Samsul, who served as youth vice chief for four years, added that youth wing intends to foster closer rapport between opposition parties PAS and DAP.

Party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail yesterday denied speculations over Ezam's resignation.

"Yes, Ezam has vacated his post as Youth chief, but it is not because of any dissatisfaction or anything of that sort. He has passed the 40-year-old age limit... so he has to give up his post," she said.

During his tenure, Ezam has been a vocal voice of the youth wing, even when he was jailed for sedition, breaching the Official Secrets Act and under the Internal Security Act.

In 2002, he was jailed for two years under OSA for leaking classified documents to the media. He was also one of the 10 reformasi leaders detained under the ISA by the government in 2001.

Described as a party strongman, Ezam served as a political secretary to Anwar Ibrahim, when the latter was the deputy prime minister.