72 political parties registered with RoS, most expected to contest GE16

 

Director-General Datuk Mohd Zulfikar Ahmad said that a total of 72 political parties are currently registered with the Registrar of Societies (RoS) under the Societies Act 1966, with most expected to contest the 16th General Election (GE16).

PUTRAJAYA: A total of 72 political parties are currently registered with the Registrar of Societies (RoS) under the Societies Act 1966, with most expected to contest the 16th General Election (GE16).

RoS Director-General Datuk Mohd Zulfikar Ahmad said the total does not include 16 new parties under consideration.

Of these, 14 are awaiting security clearance, while two are undergoing constitutional review.

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Registration approval can take up to a year.

"We cannot prevent individuals or groups from forming associations or political parties under Article 10(1)(c) of the Federal Constitution. Only a few parties are observed not to contest elections," he said.

He added that trends over the past five years show a steady and controlled increase in party registrations.

Some parties have formed large coalitions, including Barisan Nasional (BN), Pakatan Harapan (PH), Perikatan Nasional (PN), Gabungan Parti Rakyat Sabah (GPRS), and Gabungan Parti Sarawak.

He said the rise in political parties is not necessarily a concern, provided they operate legally and follow good governance.

"However, when too many parties exist, none may emerge as dominant," he added.

Currently, the 72 registered parties have 100,869 branches across five major coalitions. Of these, 41 are based in Peninsular Malaysia, with the remainder in Sabah and Sarawak.

RoS does not interfere with party constitutions or internal decisions, which are generally final.

RoS monitors technical compliance, rules, and procedures. Notices are issued if parties breach regulations.

Some parties have had their registration revoked for issues such as failing to submit annual reports or internal disputes but were later allowed to resume operations.

Registration continues to undergo careful scrutiny to ensure parties meet legal requirements. Some applications have been rejected for inappropriate or extreme names, including Parti Sampai Pagi, Parti Hijau, and Parti Ultimax.

"Some names, like Parti Sampai Pagi, raised doubts about the applicants' seriousness. Parti Hijau appeared more suitable as an NGO. In some cases, applicants themselves were unclear about registering as a political party.

"Sometimes it is more suitable as a non-governmental organisation, and the applicants themselves are unclear about registering it as a political party," he said. - NST