DESPITE a smooth party re-election, the DAP is not out of the woods yet as far as its legal standing and ability to run in the next  general election (GE) is concerned.

There is still the possibility that the nightmare of GE13​ could repeat itself – that the party could not use its signature rocket logo in GE14.

This, said party deputy chairman Gobind Singh Deo, was why the party’s re-election was significant despite the fact that it did not attract much public attention.

Delegates at the re-​election on November 12, which was ordered by the Registrar of Societies, mostly voted in​ the same faces they did in 2013. Gobind was re-elected into the central executive committee, which then chose him as its new deputy chairman.

Gobind, who is party legal bureau chief, said RoS still has not made a final decision on whether to accept the results of the re-election.

And it is this uncertainty that can cripple the party’s ability to move forward with campaign work in the run-up to GE14, which is speculated to be called in the first quarter of 2018.

“We have always maintained that there was no reason for us to have re-elections. Our re-elections were done under protest,” Gobind told The Malaysian Insight.

“We have complied with every condition imposed on us by RoS, and I hope RoS will recognise this election and the new CEC.

Despite following through on the RoS’ requests to hold re-elections twice, once in 2013 and the one last week, there remains the very real possibility that party could still be in limbo, he said.

This is because under the Societies Act the party must report the elections to RoS.

“They can​,​ like in 2013,​ write back to us and say they don’t recognise the elections. This was why we took the them to court earlier.”

In 2012, RoS declared the party’s elections invalid due to complaints it received from certain members. 

Due to the uncertainties with RoS, there were worries that DAP could not use its logo in GE13 on May 5, 2013.​

 Its then-ally PAS had even offered the party the use of its own logo if DAP could not use the rocket.

DAP, however, was later allowed to use its logo for the national polls.

It then held a re-election later in September 2013.

However, said Gobind, RoS never announced whether it officially accepted the results of the 2013 re-election until July this year – four years after the polls were held.

The four-year gap, Gobind said, was unfair as the party could not fully run its affairs.

 “It put us in limbo. How are we supposed to operate? We are a party that manages two states (Penang and with PKR in Selangor)​. It’​s difficult for us.”

Going by this precedent, Gobind does not discount that the problem of 2013 could recur and the party is ready to fight tooth and nail if it happens.

“People generally identify DAP with the rocket, and to DAP members the rocket is very close to their hearts.

“So when a decision like this is made, where we can’t use the logo, it is one which is highly controversial and we won’t take it sitting down.” – November 19, 2017.