Don't jump the gun, Umno tells MIC

 

PETALING JAYA: MIC shouldn't "jump the gun" over the issue of Umno supreme council being the "caretaker" of the party until the Registrar of Societies (ROS) has completed studying all evidence pertaining to the matter, says Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan.

"With all due respect to our Barisan Nasional partners, MIC shouldn't jump the run. ROS has said it will study the documentation furnished earlier this week.

"So whatever it said about the Umno supreme council being the 'caretaker' is a provisional statement since even ROS admits it has not finished studying all the evidence," he told The Star on Thursday (Aug 12).

Shahril added that ROS did not suggest Umno was suspended or declared unlawful, similar to what happened in 1988.

In 1988, Umno was declared an unlawful party by the Kuala Lumpur High Court following factional battles between two camps.

On Thursday, MIC president Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran called for a Barisan meeting to be called as soon as possible to discuss the direction of the coalition.

According to Vigneswaran, this was because the ROS said the Umno supreme council was only a "caretaker" of the party.

Elaborating on Vigneswaran's remarks, Shahril said if MIC was concerned about the validity of Barisan decisions, then its proposal to change the Barisan chair should be made in a meeting behind closed doors.

"I’m curious that they are asking for an urgent meeting but before any such meeting, they state their proposition so publicly. This only adds to the confusion.

"MIC, MCA and Umno have long been partners in Barisan. I am hopeful that this can remain so in these challenging times," he said.

The ROS had said that the Umno supreme council leadership could only function in a caretaker capacity until the completion of its 2021 annual general assembly and party polls.

The ROS had received the party's explanation letter regarding the 18-month delay, with the ROS stating that it was invalid considering that the term of the supreme council officer bearers for 2018/2021 had ended on June 30.

The ROS, however, said it would look into the explanations received as the party had submitted new information.

On Monday (Aug 9), the Umno president had questioned the motive behind ROS' announcement, asking Umno to submit a fresh application to defer its elections along with fixed dates for party polls.

"We are concerned if the latest development is just a desperate move by the Perikatan Nasional government to pressure Umno," said Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ahmad Zahid said Umno would not accept the ROS' demands for the party to hold its elections this year.

ROS director-general Jasri Kasim said the Umno supreme council led by Ahmad Zahid can only carry out administrative matters before party polls. - Star