Court rejects judicial review bid over HRP's registration

The Kuala Lumpur High Court today dismissed the Human Rights Party’s (HRP) application for a judicial review to compel the Registrar of Societies (ROS) and Home Ministry to register the party.

The decision was made by Justice Rohana Yusof who, in dismissing the application, ruled that HRP does not have a case.

HRP pro-tem secretary P Uthayakumar (left) said an appeal will be filed at the Court of Appeal over today’s decision.

“HRP is among the few political parties which have had its registration rejected in Malaysia’s history, as recently the ROS had allowed the registration of Parti Ikatan Bangsa Malaysia and approved 33 other political parties to date, but not HRP,” said Uthayakumar in commenting on the decision.

On Oct 11, 2011, Uthayakumar and HRP re-filed the application, where he named Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, the Registrar of Societies and the Federal Territories ROS as the respondents. 
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Uthayakumar is seeking an order of certiorari to set aside any rejection of HRP’s registration by the Home Ministry, basing this on the ministry’s failure to respond within 14 days of the appeal being made on Aug 19, 2011, and the letter of rejection from the ROS.

He also wants a writ of mandamus to compel the respondents to reply to its appeal and approve HRP as a registered political party within seven days of the court making such an order.

[More to follow]