Zahid: Abide by constitutions or risk ROS deregistration

Registered societies that conduct activities beyond their constitutions or in violation of the existing laws will face deregistration by the Registrar of Societies.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the move by ROS was aimed at ensuring that societies were moving in line with the objectives of its establishment and constitution.

“Among ROS’ duties is to conduct careful screenings during the registration stage as all societies are subjected to the Societies Act 1966.

“Hence, if there is a complaint against any society that does not comply with its own constitution, then ROS will conduct an investigation and will deregister it under Section 13 of the Societies Act 1966 (Act 335),” Zahid, who is also Home Minister, told the Dewan Negara today.

He was replying to the question from senator Khairul Azwan Harun on a more effective move by legal agencies to take action against associations, such as consumer associations that acted beyond permissible limits under the existing law.

Zahid said there were 262 consumer associations registered under ROS until Dec 15 last year, of which 158 associations were still active, while 104 have been deregistered.

He said a high level coordination meeting would be held in the near future to be chaired by him, to coordinate all societies, including NGOs.

“The main focus of the meeting is to coordinate all ROS-registered NGOs under the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry, and the Sports Commissioner of Malaysia under the Youth and Sports Ministry.

“This coordination measure needs to be carried out immediately to monitor the NGOs and as a solution to address problems in the societies concerned.

Zahid said the coordination needed to be implemented following the existence of several NGOs that purportedly championed certain issues, but instead became provocateurs against their own organisation’s acts.

- Bernama