GEORGE TOWN, Aug 8 — The DAP was today told to stop defying the Registrar of Societies (RoS) and comply with its orders to hold new elections for its central executive committee (CEC).

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya (picture) said the DAP need not fear that holding fresh polls for its CEC would automatically result in its deregistration as a political party.

“Why are they fighting with RoS? They are not facing deregistration, unlike Umno when we were deregistered back in the 1980s and we had to register as a new party, as ‘Umno Baru’,” he said.

The Penang Umno deputy liaison chief said it was unlikely that the RoS would deregister the DAP so this means the party is still intact.

“If you do something wrong, just do what they ask you to do,” he said, referring to the recent directive by the RoS to the DAP to hold its CEC elections again.

RoS director-general Datuk Abdul Rahman Othman had insisted that the DAP hold CEC re-elections several days ago.

He had reportedly said the RoS had based its decision on statements given by the party’s stakeholders.

The RoS issued a letter on July 30 to the DAP ordering the party to hold CEC re-elections as it was not satisfied with the party’s explanation on the issue of manipulation of votes during the earlier elections.

The DAP has refused to comply with the order but has written a reply demanding to know the reasons behind the decision.

Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has also challenged Abdul Rahman to meet with him after Hari Raya to explain the reasons behind the decision.

Lim wants the RoS to give valid reasons based on the Societies Act 1966, otherwise the party will not comply with the order.