A YEAR since youth-based party Muda was formed, its biggest accomplishment is garnering a large number of supporters who believe in the group’s vision for Malaysia despite it not being registered as a political party, its co-founders said. 

They said the movement, which was started by a small group of young people, has now gathered more than 45,000 members nationwide in one year.

However, the fact remains that Muda is struggling to get registered as a political party, halting its plans to engage with people on the ground and take part in institutional reforms. 

Zaidel Baharuddin, Muda’s information chief, said in the last 12 months, the party has grown exponentially despite starting out in the middle of a pandemic. 

“All this happened within a year, under the constraints of the movement control order, the party being blocked for registration and various forms of harassment to our activists and organisers,” he told The Malaysian Insight. 

Mutalib Othman, the party’s co-founder said, despite not being able to go on roadshows, the party has made Malaysians care about youth-centric issues. 

“Although we have not been registered as a political party, we have made people realise that they need to make way for young leaders,” he said. 

“Before this, we had never given much attention to youth based issues.”

Muda was founded by former youth and sports minister and Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman. 

In September 17 last year, the group applied to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to be registered as a political party. Its application was rejected on January 6 this year. 

On February 4, Muda appealed to the home minister. 

Following that, Kuala Lumpur High Court granted leave to the group on May 26 to initiate a judicial review to challenge the ROS and the home minister over the decision. 

On August 18, then home minister Hamzah Zainudin informed Muda that its appeal had been rejected. Muda has since launched another judicial review application on August 27 to challenge the decision of the home minister and the ROS. 

Its lack of registration has been one of the biggest challenges for the party as it has hampered its involvement in the democratic process, said Zaidel and Muthalib. 

“(This) should not have happened if we live in a true democracy where national institutions are not heavily influenced by the executive. Nonetheless we are pursuing the case in the courts,” Zaidel said. 

Muthalib is much more hopeful that Muda will soon be registered as a political party, especially with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob at the helm. 

“If the government is true in wanting to work with the youth, then they should not make it difficult for us to be registered. 

“Looking at the court’s decision with regard to Undi18, we are hoping that it sets a precedent for our application too,” he said, referring to Kuching High Court last week ordering Putrajaya to implement Undi18 by the end of the year to enable youths to vote at the next general election.

Short- and long-term goals

Muda co-founder Dr Thanussha Francis Xavier said the party’s immediate focus is on getting the party registered by the ROS. 

“We will continue fighting for Muda to be registered as it is our constitutional right and it is extremely cowardly of the home minister to continue playing games with young people,” she told The Malaysian Insight. 

At the same time, she said Muda would continue helping those in need with its programmes.

In the long-term, Thanussha said she hopes that Muda would be able to shape Malaysia’s future through grassroots engagement and input from multiple stakeholders. 

“(We also want to) revamp politics in Malaysia by including more women and youth representatives in Parliament, as well as focusing on the people’s needs – as opposed to racial and religious rhetoric,” she added. 

Meanwhile, Zaidel said the party was now focused on getting as many members as possible regardless of its status. 

“Don’t let them spook you from joining us. They may call us many names from keyboard warriors to immature yet they are so afraid to let us be registered because they know that we might be able to change things for the better.” – September 9, 2021.