THE Home Ministry today confirmed that six of the nine associations believed to have taken part in a gathering to mark the 30th anniversary of the Hatyai peace accord are illegal.

Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the ministry has received a report on the matter.

“Yes, that is the report I received, (that) they are not registered. They are illegal associations. Only three are registered with the Registrar of Societies,” he told reporters in Muar.

He said police are investigating the reason the Kajang event was held earlier this month.

He said the ministry is also looking into whether the associations are involved in activities related to communism.

“(The outcome) will be made known to the public… if there is evidence of efforts to revive (communism), we have to take stern action.”

The Pagoh MP said the communist ideology should no longer exist in the country as the Malayan Communist Party (CPM) has long been banned.

“We’ve had a good parliamentary democracy for 60 years. The country is peaceful and stable… so we will not take lightly any effort to derail our objective.”

In a statement today, RoS said of the nine associations believed to have been involved in the gathering, only three are registered under the Societies Act 1966 (Act 335).

The three, which were not named, have been issued a notice requesting that their committee members explain their involvement in the event.

Muhyiddin said it is necessary to make public the names of illegal associations.

“Maybe, (members) are not aware of it. If their association is not registered, they cannot conduct any activities. It contravenes the law, and we have to take action.”

On December 1, it was reported that the gathering, said to be of former CPM members, was held to commemorate the anniversary of the peace deal signed between Malaysia and the communists on December 2, 1989. – Bernama, December 13, 2019.