Malaysia’s latest Muda political party to take legal action over registration delay against Registar of Societies

PUTRAJAYA – The Malaysian Unified Democratic Alliance (Muda) youth movement wants to take legal action against the Registrar of Societies (ROS) over the delay in registering as a political party for the community.

Former Attorney General Tommy Thomas and former Malaysian Bar President Ambiga Sreenevasan were roped in by the party to help campaign for their cause.

The group of around 100 Muda members, led by Mr. Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, submitted a letter from a lawyer from the firm of Tan Sri Thomas to ROS to demand that the party be registered as soon as possible.

“We have applied to register Muda as a party on Sept 17. Until today, we have not received any update from the ROS on the registration, ” said Mr Syed Saddiq.

The former Minister of Youth and Sports said the community was in a position to meet with the Deputy Director-General of the ROS to send a legal letter.

The ROS told us that Muda’s registration is still under review. There is no consent yet. We have therefore sent a legal letter to request that Muda be registered within seven days as a party.

In contrast, he said, it only took three days for Perikatan Nasional to be registered under the current government, while during Barisan Nasional’s rule, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) was registered in just 30 days.

“It is a mockery of Malaysian democracy to withhold the legitimate registration of Muda as a political entity,” said Mr Syed Saddiq.

Mr. Syed Saddiq, 27, was a Bersatu lawmaker and the head of his youth wing, Armada, when the party was headed by then-President Mahathir Mohamad.

In May, Tun Dr Mahathir, Mr Syed Saddiq and four other Bersatu MPs were sacked from the party after sitting in a parliamentary session that month with opposition MPs.

While a new Malay-based party, Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Fighters of the Nation Party), was founded by Dr Mahathir and the other sacked MPs, Mr Syed Saddiq agreed to form a new multiracial party aimed at young people.