GEORGE TOWN, Aug 12 — The DAP is refusing to comply with a repeat order from the Registrar of Societies (RoS) to hold fresh party elections, saying the agency continues to provide no reason for the directive.
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng (picture) is insistent that RoS director-general Datuk Abdul Rahman Othman meet with him to provide the reasons and point out the law that requires the party to hold new elections for its central executive committee (CEC).
The RoS had written to the DAP on August 7 repeating its orders that the party hold new elections for its CEC with only the reason that it had made the decision based on the party’s grassroots’ demand.
“The letter did not respond to my request for a meeting nor did it list out credible reasons in accordance with the Societies Act 1966,” Lim said in a press conference at his office today.
The letter, addressed to Lim as the party secretary-general, was in reply to the party’s letter on August 2 requesting for the reasons behind a July 30 RoS letter instructing the party to hold party fresh elections.
In the letter, signed by Dasmond Das Michael Das on behalf of the RoS, it was stated that the Societies Act 1966 did not require the registrar to explain its reason for any decision it made.
It simply repeated that the RoS was not satisfied with the explanations given by the DAP on its CEC elections last year.
To this, Lim said there is no such thing in the law that allows a civil servant to make a decision without any reasons.
“Does he think he is a king? The RoS must perform its duties according to the law so they must provide explanations in accordance to the law,” Lim said.
He reiterated that if RoS could give the orders based on an obscure reason of it being “dissatisfied” with the DAP’s explanations, then it was possible that the RoS may decide to give such orders as and when it likes.
“Then next year they may give the same order and we will always be busy trying to comply with them,” he said.
In the latest RoS letter, it explained that the actions taken were based on the Societies Act 1966 and not based on political pressure or “revenge”.
It further said that the RoS has taken a too “humanistic” approach in handling this issue even though it was repeatedly slandered throughout the general election.
The letter also categorically stated that the DAP did not extend its full co-operation during its investigations into this issue and accused the party of asking for a postponement or a shorter investigation process.
“DAP also frequently delayed in submitting the relevant information needed or did not prepare it even after it was informed,” the letter states.
It reminded the party that the DAP had repeatedly stated that it would comply with the decision made by RoS and now asked that the party honour what it frequently states.
To this, Lim demanded the RoS show proof that the DAP has been unco-operative.
The Penang chief minister accused the RoS of double standards as it had not taken any action against SUPP when its 2011 party elections were disputed.
“For DAP, it was only in 2012 and they have already made a decision,” he said.
He added that the party had pointed out its error in the tabulation of the results of the earlier elections, which it had corrected and submitted a report from an international accounting firm to support the correction.
“If they can’t accept our report, they should accept the report from the accounting firm,” he said.
On the stalemate in this issue, Lim said the central working committee was meeting tonight to discuss the rising crime rate in the nation and that it would also discuss the issue with the RoS.
