KUALA LUMPUR – Three Barisan Nasional (BN) members have failed in their bid to quash the home minister’s exemption to Umno’s no-contest motion for the top two posts.
Judge Datuk Amarjeet Singh was reported as saying that the judicial leave application was dismissed as the courts cannot hear internal matters related to political parties as per Section 18C of the Societies Act. He also made no order to cost.
The three BN members – Satarriah Abdul Karim, Zaidi Abdul Majid (Lembah Pantai Umno) and P Vellasamy (Lembah Pantai MIC) – were represented by Thalia Rohaina Abdul Latiff, while Abu Bakar Isa Ramat represented Umno.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and the Registrar of Societies (RoS) were represented by federal counsel Ahmad Hanir Hambaly.
On March 7 this year, Saifuddin made an exemption for Umno’s no-contest motion, citing ection 13(1)(c)(iv) and Section 70 of the Societies Act 1966.
Section 70 states that “the minister may at his discretion in writing exempt any society registered under this act from all or any of the provisions of this act”, while subsections 13(1) relates to the Registrar of Societies’ (RoS) deregistration powers for certain violations.
RoS is under the purview of the Home Ministry.
In February, RoS was said to be investigating a possible violation of the party’s constitution after the no-contest motion was approved at its general assembly.
This follows complaints filed with RoS alleging that the party leadership breached Article 10 of the Umno constitution. – August 30, 2023