Former Keadilan deputy president Dr Chandra Muzaffar today said the two-year-old opposition party required an honest and independent appraisal if it was to overcome its shortcomings.

He said a number of political parties are currently facing severe internal challenges which demand "rigorous and objective analysis".

Citing Keadilan as an example, Chandra said, "Its shortcomings and weaknesses which have become so apparent in the last two months can only be overcome through honest, independent appraisal of the party and its leadership."

He added the aftermath of the Sept 11 attacks has made it necessary to examine Malaysian political, economic, cultural, and religious developments from a broader perspective which goes beyond the interests of particular political parties.

According to Chandra, he quit the party as he wanted to be an "independent political analyst" who is not tied down to any party.

"I am now returning to evaluating government policies and assessing opposition pronouncements without fear or favour," he said in a statement.

However, the 54-year-old academician stressed that domestic issues will not be his main focus as he was more concerned with the "global system with all its complex challenges".

"The intellectual and non-governmental organisation works I have been doing at that (global) level will remain the essence of my struggle for a just world," he said.

He added that he would pray for Keadilan leaders to live up to the aspirations and hopes of the people for a country which upholds honesty and integrity in public life.

Quit letter leaked

Chandra tendered his resignation from Keadilan on Dec 5 to party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and secretary-general Sahri Bahri.

The letter was leaked to the press and Chandra's decision to quit the party was reported last Friday.

Keadilan supreme council member Khalid Jaafar claimed the leak was a "technical error".

Chandra had been the deputy president of Keadilan since its inception in 1999, after the sacking and subsequent jailing of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.

However, three weeks before the November party elections, Chandra said he would not seek re-election despite party leaders urging him to reconsider.

He had said then he will remain as a Keadilan member and continue to address important domestic issues from time to time, including the injustices against Anwar and the leaders detained under the Internal Security Act.

Party sources said Chandra's decision to quit as a Keadilan member was prompted by his frustration with the administration of the party by its leaders.

Chandra, who is also the president for the International Movement for a Just World, has been involved in various other non-governmental organisations, both domestic and international.

He was also a political science lecturer at Universiti Sains Malaysia from 1970 to 1983.

In 1997, he helped set up the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue at Universiti Malaya and was appointed its founding director. However, his contract was not renewed in 1998.

He contested in the 1999 general elections for the parliamentary seat of Bandar Tun Razak, garnering 21,049 votes, but lost to Barisan Nasional's Tan Chai Ho who won by a wafer-thin majority of 1,224.