‘Pribumi will sort out what RoS wants in a few days’
Muhyiddin: This issue can be resolved
PUTRAJAYA: Admitting that it has not “fully developed” as a political party, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia thanked the Registrar of Societies (RoS) for allowing it time to sort out issues related to its constitution.
Pribumi president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the party felt “positive” after explaining its situation to RoS director-general Surayati Ibrahim at a meeting here yesterday.
“We spoke at length ... and they agreed to give time and space to our party to come up with suggestions on how to resolve certain things.
“These include the provision in our party’s constitution, which requires us to hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM).
“But because of our situation as a very new party, some of our divisions and wings are not fully developed yet.
“However, RoS has allowed us some time to settle this matter, and this is something positive and encouraging.
“I believe this issue can be resolved,” said Muhyiddin to reporters after emerging from the one-and-half-hour meeting at the RoS headquarters here.
The former deputy prime minister said the RoS understood Pribumi’s “special situation” as a party that was still new compared to the others that were established.
Muhyiddin said the party would prepare the “suggestions” that were required by the RoS in “one or two days”.
“Once the RoS has received our suggestions, we will sit together with their legal advisers as well as our lawyers,” he added.
On whether the party would be able to sort things out before the general election, Muhyiddin said he hoped the situation would not escalate to the point of deregistration.
“As a political party we are legally registered. However, as a new party, we have certain issues, so that’s why we are working with RoS and seeking guidance on how to be compliant.
“I just want to tell our members that there is no big problem here. Everything looks well and positive.
“The issue here is only to execute the requirements of our party’s constitution as well as the Societies Act,” he added.
Present were Pribumi deputy president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir and secretary-general Datuk Dr Shahruddin Md Salleh.
Earlier, the RoS said Pribumi had failed to organise an AGM as required by the party’s own constitution. It also said that Pribumi faced deregistration for violation of the party’s constitution and the Societies Act.