Harapan's application still under consideration by ROS

Pakatan Harapan's application to register as an official coalition is still being considered by the Registrar of Societies (ROS), the Home Ministry said.

It was responding to Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin, who had asked the home minister to state why Harapan's registration and party logo have yet to be approved and why additional requirements and criteria were required by the ROS to have the registration approved.

In a parliamentary written reply, the Home Ministry said the ROS is responsible for reviewing in detail every registration made by political parties.

This is to ensure that public safety, as well as public interest, are safeguarded.

"The ROS does not impose additional criteria or requirements on the application and the application is still being considered by the ROS."

Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad, last week, had lamented that the ROS has continued to ignore the coalition's application to register its four parties as an official coalition.

After nearly four months since Harapan's application was submitted, Mahathir claimed it was "extraordinary" that the ROS had refused to respond to Harapan's application.

This, despite the coalition having already complied with the ROS' suggestion to amend its logo to include the word "Pakatan".

Harapan is attempting to register as a formal coalition in order to contest the general election under a single logo.

Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim had predicted that Harapan would find it difficult to get itself registered as a political coalition. - Mkini