Prove transparency by holding fresh polls, Hisham tells DAP

‘If there's nothing wrong and there are no irregularities why are they so afraid to have a re-election?’

KUALA LUMPUR: DAP should hold a re-election of the party’s central executive committee (CEC) as directed by the Registrar of Societies (RoS) to prove that they have nothing to hide, said Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein.

He said if DAP truly upholds principles of democracy and integrity, then the party should listen to the voices of the grassroots as this is what the grassroots want.

“If there’s nothing wrong and there are no irregularities why are they so afraid to have a re-election?

“If there’s nothing to hide, hold the re-election immediately, ” he told reporters after the simultaneous opening of Cheras Umno Youth, Wanita and Puteri delegates’ conference here today.

Hishammuddin said DAP should also not point fingers at Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno as the cause of their problems.

“This is an internal problem. The matter was brought by DAP members themselves and was raised long ago but their leaders chose to remain silent,” he said.

Meanwhile, in TELUK INTAN, Gerakan president Mah Siew Keong said the DAP’s defiance towards the RoS’ directive and their refusal to admit their own mistakes showed the party’s arrogance.

He said by refusing to abide by the law, it also showed the party’s lack of transparency.
“DAP should comply with the RoS’ directives to hold a re-election. They should not think they are special and above the law and the same goes for other political parties.

“After this, they are going to take this opportunity to hit out at the government.

“Instead of making lots of complaints, they should take a hard look at themselves,” he said.

Mah, who is also Teluk Intan MP, said this when met at an Aidilfitri gathering attended by about 2,000 people here today.

In GEORGE TOWN, Penang Umno liaison committee chairman Zainal Abidin Osman said the issue arising from the CEC re-election was a reflection of the party’s top leaders’ incompetence in discharging their responsibilities.

Zainal said DAP should not accuse ROS of trying to sabotage the party as the party’s CEC re-election was long overdue as the 2013-2016 term had expired and postponed for 18 months.

“RoS’ decision is based on the provisions of the DAP constitution and if DAP is dissatisfied with the decision, they can bring the matter to the court,” he said in a statement here today.

“Guan Eng can still be re-appointed as DAP secretary-general because this re-election is to ensure that the second-term appointment is legitimate as the appointment of the previous CEC members was illegal,” he said.

In TEMERLOH, Umno supreme council member and Second Finance Minister Johari Abdul Ghani said Umno too faced the same situation at one time and the party had to abide by the regulations set by RoS.
“We have to go by the rules. No matter who is wrong or right or if there had been a miscommunication we should straighten things out,” he said.

“So let them meet RoS, at least they will learn why their meetings are not valid,” he told reporters after opening the Temerloh Umno Wanita, Youth and Puteri delegates’ conference at Dewan Sri Mentakab here today.

Yesterday, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said DAP would seek a meeting with RoS on its directive for the party to hold a fresh re-election for its CEC members, once the party received an official letter.

Lim, who is also Penang chief minister, said the party had already conducted a re-election of its CEC members in September 2013 and the election results were submitted to RoS in November 2013, and as such the issue of re-election did not arise.

On Friday, RoS director-general Mohammad Razin Abdullah, in a statement, said DAP would not be deregistered but it must hold a fresh re-election for its 20-member CEC following complaints by some party members claiming manipulation in the polls. -FMT