KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 — Home minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today explained that the deregistration of Johor Chinese School Managers and Teachers Association last month was due to administrative or technical issue.
Muhyiddin said there were instances where deregistered associations have made their appeal in accordance to existing procedure to the ministry and pointed out that this was one of the few cases.
“The most important question is that the association must adhere to the requirements stipulated under the Societies Act 1966.
“If those issues such as organisation names, legality and members’ charter could be addressed and agreed upon by both parties, then the matter could be solved within a short period,” he said during a press conference.
Earlier Muhyiddin, acting as mediator, attended a meeting between the Registrar of Societies (RoS) and representatives from Dong Zong of which the deregistered association is a member of.
Also present were RoS director-general Masyati Abang Ibrahim and Dong Zong chairman Tan Tai Kim.
Yesterday Muhyiddin confirmed the deregistration of the Johor chapter of the association — also part of the United Chinese School Committees’ Association of Malaysia — was due to internal problems related to its legality and members’ charter.
Muhyiddin also confirmed that the association have submitted a formal appeal to him today, which he then passed to the RoS for further deliberation.
He explained that when the show-cause notice was served, the association was instructed to register under the Education Ministry as it involved teachers which some quarters had viewed so.
“But they do not manage any schools at all, they are involved in the welfare of teachers, so it is better for them to be registered under the RoS,” he said.
When met by reporters, Tan expressed gratitude to Muhyiddin and the ministry for the latter’s willingness to listen to the association’s plight.
“We were informed that there may be a need to amend minor parts such as the association’s name but objective-wise it is normal.
“We will consult with our lawyers on this delicate matter further,” he said.
The revocation order dated August 8 was issued by the Johor RoS and addressed to the state association’s secretary Lim Cheng Hock.
Copies were also sent to the association’s chairman Tan, who is also Dong Zong’s chair, its treasurer Yu Chin Yan and also the director of the Johor Baru Insolvency Department.
The order stipulated that the RoS had on January 15 issued a statement that it will act to deregister the Johor Chinese School Managers and Teachers Association unless they received a satisfactory explanation within 30 days.
The order made it clear that Johor Chinese School Managers and Teachers Association had been in breach of Section 41 of the Societies Act 1966 concerning being an unlawful society upon the deregistration.
