Audit firm appointed to oversee DAP polls

PKF Accountants and Business Advisers will scrutinise the DAP Central Executive Committee re-election on Sept 29.

KUALA LUMPUR: The DAP has appointed PKF Accountants and Business Advisers to scrutinise the party’s central executive committee (CEC) re-election next week to avoid a repeat of last year’s polls fiasco.

Returning officer for the DAP Special Congress Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming said the company comprised 300 member firms and correspondents in 440 locations in 125 countries.

“PKF is a member of the Forum of Firms – an organisation dedicated to consistent and high quality standards in financial reporting and auditing practices worldwide,” he said at a press conference at the party’s headquarters here.

He said PKF had already reviewed the notices sent out to delegates eligible to attend the special congress on Sept 29.

“The notices were disputed by some delegates in the previous elections held in December last year,” said Ong.

The Registrar of Societies had ordered DAP to hold fresh polls after receiving complaints that the party had failed to provide notice of the December elections to 753 eligible candidates.

Disgruntled members had also lodged reports of irregularities after a “technical glitch” resulted in errors in the initial tabulation of results.

“PKF will review the formulas used in the software application for computing and tabulating the votes.

“The company will scrutinise the registration of delegates, distribution of ballot papers, as well as casting and counting of votes.

“PKF will also check the final results before the announcement by the returning officer,” Ong said.

Some 2,567 delegates are eligible to vote. Sixty-eight names will be on the list of candidates, including those who had already announced their withdrawal from the election.

‘No grounds to stop DAP polls’

Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo, who was also present at the press conference, said sacked party member A David Dass’ recent court injunction to stop the polls was baseless.

Dass, who was former Ladang Paroi DAP branch vice-chairman, had claimed the re-election contravened the party constitution, as holding fresh polls were apparently only allowed during the DAP National Congress.

Gobind pointed to Standing Orders 43, 44, 45 and 46 of the First Schedule of the party constitution, which stated a party special congress could be held to elect a new CEC.

“The DAP takes the view that there is express provision in the constitution which provides that a party special congress may be called for the purpose of electing a new CEC.

“The DAP also takes the view that the suit and application filed by David Dass is clearly against Section 18C of the Societies Act 1966 which excludes the courts from ruling on matters of interpretation of constitution involving political parties,” he said.

Last Friday, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng filed an application in the High Court to strike out the suit and injunction filed on Sept 10.