Keadilan is saddened by deputy president Dr Chandra Muzaffar's decision to step down but is grateful for the role he has played since the party's inception, said Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail today.

Chandra's "idealism and sense of justice" have inspired and encouraged the party to persevere in its efforts to enhance civilisational dialogue towards the creation of a civil society, she added.

However, Azizah said Chandra will continue to assist the party in voicing out against any injustices.

Yesterday, Chandra said he had, after due reconsideration, made the final decision of not contesting for his post at the party elections scheduled for Nov 9.

Intellectual work

Chandra stressed that he will like to concentrate more on international intellectual work compared to domestic issues but the 54-year-old academician said he will remain a Keadilan member

Last week, when Chandra first announced his decision, Keadilan's supreme council urged him to reconsider.

Formerly a political science lecturer at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Chandra later proceeded with his academic career at Universiti Malaya where he set up and became the director of the Centre for Inter-Civilisational Dialogue.

In 1999, he joined Keadilan led by Wan Azizah, the wife of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim who is currently serving a 15- year jail term for sodomy and corruption charges.