KUALA LUMPUR – The Registrar of Societies (RoS) has clarified that the blacklist imposed against Muda deputy president Amira Aisya Abd Aziz was executed according to relevant laws.
In a statement today, RoS said the action it had taken against Amira, who is also Puteri Wangsa assemblywoman, was based on an investigation and legal processes it had carried out under the Societies Act 1966.
“RoS would like to emphasise that action (against Amira) was carried out guided by orderly investigation and legal processes based on powers afforded to the registrar under the Societies Act 1966.”
It added that the blacklist imposed upon Amira follows the cancellation of Persatuan Ekonomi Merdeka’s registration through a notice issued by the registrar under Section 13(1)(c)(iv) on October 28 last year.
“The action also binds (Amira) to Section 49 of the same act,” it said, adding that Amira’s statement on the matter yesterday was “inaccurate”.
Amira was reported as saying that she held a secretary position in Persatuan Ekonomi Merdeka between August 3, 2017 and October 19, last year.
Section 13(1)(c)(iv) deals with, among others, the RoS’ power to cancel a group’s registration if it is satisfied that a society or its members have wilfully violated the Sedition Act 1948 or related regulations.
Meanwhile, Section 49 states that if the registration of any society, other than a society that is a political party, has been cancelled under the above section, any office-bearer of such society at the time of the cancellation shall be guilty of an offence.
Those who continue to remain office-bearers of any other society without the written permission of the registrar can also be subject to the law.
Upon conviction of said offence, the individual shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, to a fine not exceeding RM15,000, or to both.
Yesterday, it was reported that the civil court had, on August 17, granted Amira leave to commence with a judicial review against RoS’ alleged blacklist against her.
In a copy of her judicial review’s supporting affidavit dated July 13, Amira claimed that she found out she was blacklisted through an email from the registrar dated April 18.
In the email, the registrar informed her that it had rejected an application by her and several other activists to register a non-governmental association, the Malaysian Women Impact Association, due to her being blacklisted.
Amira also alleged that on October 19 last year, the Selangor Insolvency Department had, via a letter, informed RoS earlier on September 28 that year that it had cancelled Persatuan Ekonomi Merdeka’s registration.
Noting that she and other members of the group had cooperated with the state insolvency body, Amira said no appeal was lodged over the matter due to financial, logistics, and other issues. – September 2, 2023