New CEC polls to avoid DAP de-registration
Published: Aug 15, 2013 9:06 AM | Updated: Aug 15, 2013 11:30 AM
DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua said that the party's decision to hold a fresh central executive committee (CEC) election was the best choice to erase all doubts of any alleged wrongdoing, and was not a validation of charges levelled by the Registrar of Societies (ROS).
DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua said that the party's decision to hold a fresh central executive committee (CEC) election was the best choice to erase all doubts of any alleged wrongdoing, and was not a validation of charges levelled by the Registrar of Societies (ROS).
Confirming earlier reports that DAP would hold a re-election of its CEC, Pua (right) said the move is aimed solely at eliminating any risk of "arbitrary de-registration” of the party by the ROS.
"The decision to do so is in no part a concession to the incredulous accusations made of the DAP party elections such as vote-rigging with 547 phantom delegates, or the failure to notify 753 party delegates.
"Instead, the decision to hold fresh elections will allow our delegates to prove once and for all that the party has done absolutely no wrong," Pua said in a statement today.
The Petaling Jaya Utara MP further said the party had exhausted all avenues to challenge the ROS order, barring seeking recourse with the courts for justification or reversal of the order.
Even party lawyers, he said, have confirmed the ROS has absolutely no power under the society laws to "punish" a party with fresh leadership elections as the law states that "the decision of a political party shall be final... (and) not be challenged.”
Even so, Pua said the CEC in last night’s emergency meeting had decided against initiating a judicial review of the “unlawful ROS order”, citing fears such a move would provide “justification” for the Registrar to de-register the party.
“...Where an insidious and wicked political agenda from the ruling political party is involved, these are certainly not normal and routine circumstances.
“If the ROS can abuse its non-existent powers to demand that DAP hold fresh elections, then certainly it will not hesitate to abuse the powers which it has - that is to de-register a political party - if the powers that be deem it politically expedient and necessary.
“We have also contemplated that any attempts to defy the unlawful ROS order via a judicial review will give ‘justification’ to, and pretext for the ROS to de-register DAP,” the statement reads.
Confirming earlier reports that DAP would hold a re-election of its CEC, Pua (right) said the move is aimed solely at eliminating any risk of "arbitrary de-registration” of the party by the ROS."The decision to do so is in no part a concession to the incredulous accusations made of the DAP party elections such as vote-rigging with 547 phantom delegates, or the failure to notify 753 party delegates.
"Instead, the decision to hold fresh elections will allow our delegates to prove once and for all that the party has done absolutely no wrong," Pua said in a statement today.
The Petaling Jaya Utara MP further said the party had exhausted all avenues to challenge the ROS order, barring seeking recourse with the courts for justification or reversal of the order.
Even party lawyers, he said, have confirmed the ROS has absolutely no power under the society laws to "punish" a party with fresh leadership elections as the law states that "the decision of a political party shall be final... (and) not be challenged.”
Even so, Pua said the CEC in last night’s emergency meeting had decided against initiating a judicial review of the “unlawful ROS order”, citing fears such a move would provide “justification” for the Registrar to de-register the party.
“...Where an insidious and wicked political agenda from the ruling political party is involved, these are certainly not normal and routine circumstances.
“If the ROS can abuse its non-existent powers to demand that DAP hold fresh elections, then certainly it will not hesitate to abuse the powers which it has - that is to de-register a political party - if the powers that be deem it politically expedient and necessary.
“We have also contemplated that any attempts to defy the unlawful ROS order via a judicial review will give ‘justification’ to, and pretext for the ROS to de-register DAP,” the statement reads.
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