Malaysia’s Registrar of Societies and Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail have appealed a ruling that lets opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional resume political activity and contest the Nov. 14 Melaka state election.
The Oct. 23 court notice identifies ROS director-general Mohd Zulfikar Ahmad and Saifuddin as the appellants. It says they are seeking Court of Appeal review of the entire Oct. 22 decision by High Court Judge Azizan Md Arshad. Senior federal counsel filed on their behalf.
The High Court first allowed PN to pursue judicial review on Oct. 13 but rejected an interim stay request at that stage. Its Oct. 22 order pauses the suspension and deregistration while the review proceeds, leaving PN able to organize and take part in the Melaka election.
The review, filed Oct. 5 by PN and secretaries-general from five member parties, seeks to overturn the Sept. 23 suspension order and challenges a Sept. 22 notice of intent to deregister the coalition. The suspension barred PN activities except responding to the notice, according to the application.
The application says the deregistration notice cited PN’s failure to invite Bersatu, a coalition member, to a July 16 Supreme Council meeting. The applicants also argued they were not heard before the action and did not receive the complaint or supporting documents.
In an affidavit, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said the suspension kept PN’s Supreme Council and other party bodies from meeting or making decisions, including on Melaka participation. He said the order also barred statements, rallies and campaigning and exposed officials to possible prosecution if they breached it.
The Registrar of Societies said in an Oct. 20 statement that it had deregistered PN under the Sept. 22 notice, two days before that notice’s 30-day period was due to expire. EconoTimes previously covered the deregistration before the Melaka vote. The appeal will go to the Court of Appeal.
