Leaders of two opposition parties, Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and PRM president Dr Syed Husin Ali, today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to expedite the long-awaited merger between their parties.
Several leaders of both parties witnessed the historic event at the Keadilan headquarters in Phileo Damansara in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Syed Husin said the MoU outlined 13 articles including the party's new name, logo, leadership transition process, purpose and objective of the merger, and the structure and organisation of the party.
He said the merged party's name will be "Parti Keadilan Rakyat", or "Keadilan" in short.
Wan Azizah said the MoU reflected the "political commitment and interests" of the two parties in the merger.
"We both feel that with this merger, the strength and potential of the two parties can become one to face the challenges of the current political scenario," she said in a joint statement with Syed Husin.
"This merger is a necessary step so that efforts to combat cruelty and promote justice will be successful," she added.
The two parties had earlier broached the merger proposition but this was put off because of opposition within Keadilan. At its meeting in July last year, it failed to obtain a two-third majority on the resolution which called for the amendments to the party's constitution to facilitate the merger.
Amendments
The amendments included a change of the party's name from Parti Keadilan Nasional to Parti Keadilan Rakyat Malaysia and in the design of Keadilan's blue-and-white flag which was to have the addition of two red stripes to signify PRM's presence.
Keadilan secretary-general Sahri Bahri said he is however optimistic that the party's delegates will support the merger proposal at its annual general meeting in October.
Asked the outcome if the party does not obtain the two-third votes to support the merger, Sahri said, "We will cross the bridge when we come to it".
PRM faced hardly any opposition to the merger. At its congress last year, delegates voted overwhelmingly for the merger.
On the proposed de-registration of PRM in order for its members to join Keadilan, secretary-general Sanusi Osman said the party would wait for the new entity to be "strong and stable" before PRM de-registers and its members cross over en bloc .
Youth wings
Other matters to be dealt with include the anomalies of the merged party's Youth wings. PRM has a single youth wing whereas Keadilan has separate wings for the two sexes.
PRM Youth vice-chief Jonson Chong said the MoU did not address the issue but the wing members will meet this Sunday to discuss their fate.
Keadilan deputy Youth chief Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said "any efforts that strengthen the party will be welcomed" when asked his response on the issue.
Witnesses to the MoU signing today included Keadilan deputy chief Abdul Rahman Othman, supreme council member Dr Xavier Jeyakumar and women chief Fuziah Salleh. From PRM, deputy president Rustam Sani, vice-presidents Lee Sang and R Sivarasa, and Youth deputy Latheefa Koya were there.