Muda to challenge ex-minister's refusal to allow registration appeal

 

The Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) today has withdrawn its judicial review to compel former home minister Hamzah Zainudin to decide on its appeal to be registered as an official political party.

However, the fledgling group will be filing a new legal action later to challenge the former minister’s Aug 12 decision to refuse its appeal for registration.

Muda’s legal team made the withdrawal application during online zoom proceedings before the High Court in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.

Today’s judicial review withdrawal came on the heels of Hamzah’s decision on Aug 12 to reject Muda’s appeal against the Registrar of Societies’ (ROS) decision to refuse to register it.

Muda’s judicial review had sought to compel the minister to make a decision over its appeal, due to alleged delay in decision-making. The legal action was filed earlier this year, prior to Hamzah's decision on Aug 12.

When contacted after the online zoom proceedings today, Muda’s counsel Lim Wei Jiet confirmed the retraction of the legal action.

“We withdrew with no order as to costs because of the fact that the minister had made a decision.

“What we were asking from the court was to compel the minister to make a decision. Which he has done. So the (judicial review) application has become academic.

“We will file another suit very soon to challenge the minister's decision to reject Muda's appeal to be registered as a party,” Lim said.

Muda is spearheaded by Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman

When contacted this afternoon, senior federal counsel Ahmad Hanir Hambaly @ Arwi confirmed the outcome of the online court proceedings.

Hanir represents the minister and the ROS, the two respondents in the judicial review.

Muda is spearheaded by former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

Syed Saddiq was formerly Bersatu Youth chief until he was booted out from the party. Muda aims to be a youth-centric and multiracial political platform.

It was reported that among the reasons for Muda's earlier failed legal bid was an allegation that the home minister had asked Syed Saddiq to "commit" himself to then prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin. Muhyiddin is now caretaker prime minister.

Previously, Muda had mounted an unsuccessful legal bid for registration. The High Court in Kuala Lumpur on Feb 4 ruled that it should have appealed to the minister first over the issue before proceeding with the legal action.

Muda's earlier legal action was due to the ROS on Jan 6 rejecting its application for registration as a political party. The group had then proceeded to appeal to the minister on Feb 4.

However, the current (now withdrawn) legal action was filed as Muda claimed that there was a delay by Hamzah in deciding on its appeal for registration.

Lim, who is also the group's vice-president, had then expressed disappointment with the then minister's Aug 12 decision, claiming that the timing of the decision showed the authorities merely sought to delay the group's registration. - Mkini