Four years on, Pakatan still awaiting registration

We have yet to receive an official letter from the ROS on our application as a political party, says PKR's Saifuddin Nasution

PETALING JAYA: PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution said Pakatan Rakyat’s application as a political coalition remains unprocessed by the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

“According to the ROS’ key performance indicator (KPI), they are to update applicants on the status of the application no later than 30 days.

“However, from the date they received our application documents, we have yet to receive an official letter from the ROS with regards to Pakatan Rakyat’s application status,” he said.

Pakatan Rakyat filed its application to the ROS on Nov 30, 2009.

Saifuddin added that they knew about the application’s status through media statements by the ROS and asked why the ROS has not given them an answer in written form.

“What’s preventing them from responding via an official letter? They should tell us what else needs to be completed. The ROS should facilitate registration,” said Saifuddin.

Old application

He also said that the coalition had held its annual general meeting (AGM) on Feb 25, 2011, electing Tumpat MP Kamaruddin Jaafar to replace Zaid Ibrahim who had resigned.

“After our AGM, we went to the ROS and sent them a letter. However, in a verbal response, they said that we cannot have an AGM to change a pro-tem committee member because no decision has been made on the old application,” he said.

Yesterday, ROS director Abdul Rahman Othman said that the ROS could not process Pakatan Rakyat’s application because the coalition did not inform them about changes in its pro-tem committee.

He added that Pakatan Rakyat had only sent its application once in 2009 and the coalition should have informed the ROS about its pro-tem committee.

Saifuddin then said that they have gone to the ROS to ask about the application’s status but did not get any positive answer.

“Instead, the ROS said that it is still waiting for our application to replace Zaid when it is them who said that no decision has been made yet on the old application,” he said.

He added that a new application will be made if it is required, and with Kamaruddin as the pro-tem committee chairman.