KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has received a formal complaint on a Registrar of Societies (RoS) official for alleged abuse of power and bribery in connection with the postponement of Umno party polls.
Berita Harian cited an unnamed MACC source as saying tonight that a report was lodged with the agency against the individual for allegedly changing a decision that was made on August 6, namely that the postponement of the Umno party election, which was initially declared as invalid, is valid.
As a result, the postponement of the party election was approved until December 2022 for a period of 18 months, as announced in a letter dated August 30.
The source also said the complaint was lodged by several parties who were unhappy with the decision.
“They suspect abuse of power and corruption by a handful of politicians who favour certain leaders influenced this decision,” the source was quoted as saying.
Berita Harian said that when contacted, MACC chief Datuk Seri Azam Baki confirmed that the report had been received but declined to comment further.
Earlier this week, the RoS reversed its decision to invalidate Umno’s postponement of its party elections that were initially due on June 30.
Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said he was notified by RoS director director-general Jasri Kasim and was grateful for the decision.
Umno last held party elections on June 30, 2018, and the three-year term of its party president and other office-bearers would have ended on June 30 this year, requiring a new party election by then.
It postponed party elections by 18 months from June 30 and the validity of this decision was in dispute.
On August 6, the RoS had said this decision was invalid. It cited the July 7 minutes of the party’s supreme council meeting that noted the decision for postponement was made when the supreme council’s term had already expired.
At the time, Ahmad countered this assertion on Twitter with a chronology of events, including his June 24 letter to notify the RoS of the postponement decision. He also shared a July 19 letter from the RoS that it had no objection to said decision.
Among other things, Ahmad’s chronology had stated that he had, as Umno secretary-general, on July 30 written to the RoS director-general about the July 7 minutes of the Umno supreme council meeting that legitimised an earlier June 18 circular resolution among Umno supreme council members to postpone the party polls.
