Pejuang gets leave to challenge no action by Home Minister, RoS over party’s registration appeal

KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Pejuang Tanahair (Pejuang) today obtained leave from the High Court to challenge the action of the Home Minister and the Registrar of Societies (RoS) for having yet to decide on its appeal to register the party.

Judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid granted the leave after senior federal counsel Mohd Sabri Othman, representing the two respondents (Home Minister and RoS), informed the court that the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) did not object to the application by Pejuang.

“I record no objection from the AGC regarding the application for leave for judicial review and there is no order of cost for this case,“ said the judge.

He then set April 15 for further case management, whereby a date will be fixed to hear the merits of the judicial review application.

Pejuang, through its secretary-general Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah, filed the leave application last March 1, naming the Home Minister and RoS as the first and second respondent, respectively.

Today was set to hear the matter.

In the application, Amiruddin is seeking a declaration that the first respondent’s failure to decide on the party’s appeal, made via a letter dated Jan 8, against the second respondent’s decision that rejected its application to be registered, have violated its statutory obligations under Section 18 of the Societies Act 1966.

The application also seeks a declaration that the violation of the first respondent’s statutory obligation to decide on the party’s appeal was unreasonable, malicious and an improper attempt to deny the applicant’s constitutional right to freedom of association and contest in the general election using its own logo.

Amiruddin said a mandamus order was also requested for the first respondent to decide on the party’s appeal and to order RoS to finalise Pejuang’s registration seven days after a court ruling.

On Feb 2, Pejuang, which was founded by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, submitted an appeal after its application to register as a political party was rejected.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said the application was rejected on Jan 6 based on the provisions stipulated under Section 7 (3) (e) of the Societies Act 1966 (Act 335) and they can file an appeal to the Home Minister within the next 30 days. -Bernama