DAP unhappy with terms set by RoS for re-election
KUALA LUMPUR: DAP will hold its central executive committee (CEC) re-election on Nov 12, but complained that the terms and regulations set by the Registrar of Societies (RoS) are “unprecedented”.
The terms, among others, requires the party to publish a notice of the re-election in major newspapers of different languages.
DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke said it seemed that the party was being given “special treatment” by RoS, as the terms set were never applied to any other political party.
“There has been no such rule before. We were also told to publish the notice on a specific website for our delegates to check their names and only those qualified will be granted access.
“These are some of the unprecedented rules set by RoS for a political party, but we will cooperate and comply with them,” Loke told a press conference yesterday.
The terms were outlined by RoS in a letter dated Sept 21, 2017, where it also approved the appointment of a United States-based independent audit firm, Grant Thornton, to monitor and conduct the re-election.
The RoS also told Grant Thornton to ensure that only the valid 2,576 party delegates that voted in 2012 were allowed to take part in the re-election.
Grant Thornton also has to update the list of CEC candidates and delegates and check whether they have passed away or left the party, said the letter.
But Loke said that although they were directed to notify all 2,576 party delegates, this did not mean all would get the notice.
“We will exclude those who have passed away and will not send out notices to those who have left the party,” he said.
Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said, with the RoS direc- tive regarding the delegates, the party appears to have been stuck in time.
“We appear to have somehow lost five years even though we did a re-election in 2013, but since that was not recognised by RoS we are forced to start afresh,” said Lim who was at the press conference.
DAP conducted a re-election in 2013, after RoS detected irregularities and manipulation of votes in its 2012 election.
Last July, the RoS told the party to hold a re-election, following complaints from some DAP members.
The re-election this time around, will be held at the Ideal Convention Centre Shah Alam (IDCC).