BERSATU will hold its first annual general meeting at the Ideal Convention Centre in Shah Alam on December 30 to head off possible deregistration by the Registrar of Societies (RoS). 

The party’s deputy president, Mukhriz Mahathir, said the party had fulfilled the criteria set out in the Societies Act 1966 and party’s constitution.

The party is reacting to comments by RoS chief Surayati Ibrahim on November 25 that Bersatu risks deregistration should the party fail to resolve purported internal issues and hold its AGM by the end of the year. 

The party’s failure to hold the AGM was attributed by RoS to problems involving its branches and divisions.

Mukhriz told a press conference at Bersatu’s headquarters in Petaling Jaya today that the AGM would be held on December 30, as the party was not taking any chances. 

“When the (RoS) director was speaking in Johor (on November 25), it was as if she was alluding to some requirement that we must have a meeting within this year. 

“Going by our constitution, a meeting must be held once a year. So surely, we assume that what she meant then was that within this year, there must be a meeting. 

“So, we decide, oklah, let’s not wait. Let’s just go ahead with (our AGM) on December 30,” he said. 

Present was Bersatu supreme council member Rais Hussin.

Bersatu has 137 registered divisions but claims to have 165, and RoS is querying this discrepancy. The Malaysian Insight was informed that only delegates from the 137 registered divisions, 990 of them, would attend the AGM. 

Mukhriz said party representatives had met RoS officials on November 21 to inform them that some of Bersatu divisions had received their registration certificates only on July 24. 

Bersatu had written to RoS on November 23 proposing waivers on how to hold its AGM and how to amend the party’s constitution as it had yet to fully register all its divisions, branches and committee members.

On November 25, Surayati said she would refer to the registrar’s legal advisers and needed a week to scrutinise the proposed waivers. 

Mukhriz said there had been no response on the matter since then.

“But going by the statements by the director via the media and not by way of official correspondence with the party, we feel that the RoS is not cooperative enough to assist us in settling some of these issues. 

“These issues arise from the fact that we are still in the initial stages of formation. So, the party’s constitution does not specifically state the process that one has to go through at the initial stages of formation. It assumes that the party is already formed.”

“Unfortunately, rather than advise, and it is well within their authority to advise us, they asked us to suggest, which we did.

“How can we register the party and assume that we have already, from day one, 165 divisions. It’s almost impossible. They are asking us to issue the birth certificate before the birth,” Mukhriz added.

Bersatu also faces problems with RoS regarding its youth wing. The registrar has yet to approve the amendment of the party’s constitution to use the term “Armada”.

Surayati had said using a term that does not exist in the party’s constitution was a violation of the Societies Act 1966. 

She added that the RoS has received complaints from some Bersatu members that several Armada members had been sacked. They also questioned the party’s management status as the general meeting has yet to be held.

Muhkriz said there had been continual attempts by Bersatu’s legal team to communicate with RoS on the matter. 

“Our officers have been at their offices almost on a daily basis, in case there are any questions of enquiries by RoS. 

“We have also followed up on whether they will be responding officially or not. We are ready to clarify any matters that they would like to bring up.” 

He also claimed that phone calls were made by the party to ROS almost on a daily basis. 

“We were pushing for this meeting mentioned by the director between our lawyers and the (RoS) legal adviser. Unfortunately, that never occurred.” 

Asked whether Bersatu candidates might need to contest using the logo of another Pakatan Harapan component party, Mukhriz replied: “We have already a letter from the RoS stating that (Bersatu is registered). 

“As far a we are concerned, we don’t see any issue about us contesting in the elections using our logo.”

Rais, who heads the party’s policy and strategy bureau said Bersatu was an officially registered party, and its “birth certificate” (registration certificate issued by RoS), was displayed at the party headquarters.

“And we are following through with rest of the requirements as per our (party) constitution as well as RoS (requirements).

“So, there is no issue with regards to whether are registered or not. We are a legitimately registered political party under the rules and laws of the country.

He said the registration of the party’s 165 divisions had to be done in stages.

“You cannot have 165 division chiefs with all the committee members one day. That doesn’t happen. But we are going through the process,” Rais said. 

In addition to the annual party report debate, delegates will hear a keynote address by Bersatu chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad, party president Muhyiddin Yassin.

Delegates will also debate the chairman’s policy speech. – December 22, 2017.