Thirty Keadilan state-level leaders are expected to quit their posts soon in protest of the party's marginalisation of the pro-Abim (Malaysian Muslim Youth Movement) faction, an insider told malaysiakini.

This is a fresh blow to the party's image in the wake of a string of defections by its members to Umno before the Indera Kayangan by-election last Saturday.

The defections which involved key figures such as Perlis deputy election campaign director Mej (Rtd) Mohd Shariff Abd Razak and the state's Youth deputy chief Syed Araniri Syed Ahmad, are believed to have caused the loss in Malay support for the party.

In the just concluded by-election, Keadilan's candidate Khoo Yang Chong was defeated by Barisan Nasional's Oui Ah Lan with a majority of 2,592. According to several analyses, Keadilan lost badly in Malay-predominant areas.

Keadilan has been plagued by factionalism when its pro-Abim members failed to obtain leadership positions in the party election during its annual general meeting in Kemaman, Terengganu, last November.

Different reactions

Meanwhile, the party's top leaders are reacting differently towards the latest blow.

Information chief Ruslan Kassim said he was aware of the upcoming resignations. However, he refuted that 30 leaders were involved.

He said he has been told that only about 10 leaders from Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Selangor have planned to "take a break from their portfolios".

"They want to take a rest especially after working so hard for the Indera Kayangan by-election campaign," Ruslan told malaysiakini.

He also revealed that a press conference by Seremban branch leader Mohd Rafaei Abdul Malik to announce the matter tomorrow has been postponed.

Secretary-general Sahri Bahri said the resignations, if true, were not a surprise as indications of such an eventuality were already there during the nine-day campaign period in Kangar.

'Blessing in disguise'

Sahri said those who have defected from the party or intended to resign has "betrayed the struggle and trust of the people who wanted to see change in the country".

He did not discount the fact that Umno may have been trying to "buy influence" and weaken the Barisan Alternatif.

However, he also said that such resignations "could be a blessing in disguise".

"It is better for us to weed out the ones who are not committed to the party's struggles and are easy prey to BN's dirty tactics," he added.

Keadilan's deputy president Abdul Rahman Othman, on the other hand, denied the rumours and said that it was merely BN's strategy to "create trouble" in the party.

Rahman said the party's grassroots were strongly behind Keadilan and have become stronger after their defeat in the Indera Kayangan by-election.