No go for Dr Mahathir’s Pejuang party

KUALA LUMPUR — Registrar of Societies (RoS) has rejected Pejuang’s application to be registered as a political party. 

The rejection letter was sent to the Dr Mahathir Mohamad-founded party Wednesday (Jan 6) evening.

Following the letter, the party on Thursday withdrew its application to the high court for an order to the RoS to make a decision on the party’s registration, reported Malaysiakini. 

The matter was scheduled Thursday morning before high court judge Mariana Yahya for leave for the full merits to be heard. 

The party had filed its judicial application on Dec 10 last year for an order on the status of its registration. 

Pejuang secretary-general Amiruddin Hamzah had then said that the party wanted RoS to either allow or reject the party’s registration. 

In the application, the party had said it was unable to properly register new members as a result of the delay on its registration, adding that it wanted to be prepared in time for the next general election, which it believed would be held soon. 

In November, Dr Mahathir said he had not received approval for the party’s registration from RoS although all requirements had been met. He said approval for the party’s registration depended on the minister in charge.

RoS is a unit under the Home Ministry, and the current minister is Bersatu’s Hamzah Zainuddin. 

Pejuang was formed by former Bersatu members who fell out with the leadership, after the party withdrew from Pakatan Harapan in late February, triggering the collapse of the then Malaysian government. THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT