‘PPBM, DAP must resolve issues first’
KUALA LUMPUR: The Registry of Societies (RoS) can make a decision regarding Pakatan Harapan’s registration only when issues surrounding the pact are resolved.
RoS director-general Surayati Ibrahim said there were issues involving two Pakatan Harapan component parties — Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) and DAP — that had yet to be resolved.
“PPBM has yet to hold an annual general meeting (AGM). They must follow the party’s constitution.
“DAP, on the other hand, has just finished its Central Executive Committee (CEC) re-election on Nov 12.
“RoS has not received a full report for us to scrutinise.
“As a registrar officer, I can resolve all issues only once I get feedback from the parties as well as the reports.
“As long as we don’t have the full report, there is nothing we can do right now,” she told the New Straits Times yesterday.
Pakatan Harapan had submitted its application for registration to RoS on July 24 but has yet to receive a response.
Last Thursday, RoS said PPBM might not be allowed to contest the 14th General Election if it failed to hold its AGM.
Last Friday, Surayati said RoS did not recognise PPBM’s extraordinary general meeting held on Nov 2 last year as only 12 of its Supreme Council members attended the meeting.
Surayati said PPBM cannot use the term “Armada” to refer to its Youth wing as it was not stated in the party’s constitution.
PPBM chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the reason PPBM could not hold an AGM was due to the party’s poor organisational structure as its divisions and branches had failed to hold meetings at their levels.
DAP, on the other hand, held its CEC re-election recently, following a directive for a fresh election to be held.
This was due to RoS on July 7 saying that the DAP’s CEC reelection on Sept 29, 2013, was not in accordance with the law.
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng on Saturday said DAP was waiting for the official report from its external auditor, Grant Thornton, on the re-election before submitting it to RoS.
Surayati said this in response to Dr Mahathir’s revelation that issues involving DAP and PPBM were the main reasons why Pakatan Harapan’s registration with RoS was on hold.
He said this after a meeting with Home Ministry officials yesterday.
“The officers told us that there are problems with PPBM and DAP.
“If we were told earlier, we could’ve resolved them earlier.
“We have no intention of either protesting or creating problems with the government.
“Now that we know what the problems are, we will take action immediately,” Dr Mahathir said outside the Home Ministry building here.
Present were PPBM president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu and DAP chairman Tan Kok Wai.