Umno's application to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to amend its constitution that would allow the party to postpone the polls until six months after a general election has yet to receive an answer.
Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin (above) said even though he is the minister in charge of overseeing ROS, the agency makes its own decisions.
"At this juncture, as I understand, ROS has yet to issue a letter (to Umno). I am the minister that oversees ROS, but ROS makes its own decisions," he told a media conference in Putrajaya earlier today.
Asked about recent media reports quoting Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob saying that a decision on the application would be out this July 16, Hamzah said the premier requested ROS to issue its decision by the date.
According to Hamzah, the Home Ministry cannot blame the prime minister for requesting ROS to speed up its decision-making.
The minister said he would only comment on the decision once it comes to the appeal stage, as an appeal can only be made to the home minister.
"If ROS can issue the decision by July 16, then they will do it. What is wrong if they can do this?" he asked.
Mandate ended last year
The mandate for Umno's current leadership ended last year.
All of the party's top leaders, including president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, were elected in June 2018 to lead the party for a three-year term.
However, as their term was about to expire last year, Umno leadership had invoked Article 10.16 of the party constitution to postpone the party election for 18 months.
It sets a new deadline for party polls to Dec 29 this year.
Umno, MCA and Gerakan are the only political parties in this country which have provisions that allow the leadership mandate to be extended for an extra 18 months.
Premier Ismail Sabri is Umno's vice-president. - Mkini
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