ROS: Muda deputy president's 'blacklist' claim inaccurate

 

The Registrar of Societies (ROS) has described as inaccurate Muda deputy president Amira Aisya Abd Aziz’s claim of a blacklist against her from holding any positions in any registered groups in Malaysia.

The regulator made this contention in its media statement issued today in response to the Puteri Wangsa assemblyperson’s judicial review - pending in the Kuala Lumpur High Court - over the purported blacklist.

“ROS wishes to stress that this statement (Amira’s blacklist claim contained in her legal action) is not accurate.

“ROS wishes to explain that the action against her was over the cancellation of the registration of Persatuan Ekonomi Merdeka via a notice issued under Section 13(1)(c)(iv)(of the Societies Act 1966) on Oct 28, 2022, by the ROS. The action binds her under Section 49 of the same act.

“Therefore, ROS wishes to emphasise that this action is in line with all due process of investigation and laws as well as based on the power laid out under the Societies Act 1966,” ROS said.

Section 13(1)(c)(iv) deals with the ROS’ power to cancel a group’s registration if it is satisfied that the society has wilfully contravened the act or related regulations, among others.

Section 49(1) states that if the registration of any society, other than a political party, has been cancelled, any office-bearer of such society at the time of such cancellation who after that time becomes or, after the expiry of 30 days from such cancellation, continues to remain an office-bearer of any other society without the permission in writing of the Registrar, shall be guilty of an offence and be liable to maximum five-year imprisonment, or to a fine not exceeding RM15,000, or both if convicted by the criminal court.

Section 49(2) provides that the restriction imposed on such an office-bearer shall cease upon the expiry of a period of five years from the date of the cancellation.

Email notice

When contacted by Malaysiakini, Amira’s legal team indicated that they would let the civil court decide on the matter.

Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported that Amira (above) filed her court action in July, through which she claimed to have been informed about the blacklist via an April email from ROS.

The outspoken activist contended that the purported blacklist would not only prevent her from contesting for any positions in Muda, but also hinder her from holding posts in NGOs that seek to empower women, uphold gender equality, and raise public awareness over educational and environmental issues.

According to her affidavit in support of the judicial review, Amira claimed that on Oct 19 last year, the Selangor State Insolvency Department informed her that the ROS had earlier on Sept 28 last year cancelled the registration of Persatuan Ekonomi Merdeka.

She also contended that later on April 18 via email, ROS informed her that an application by her and other activists to register an NGO called Persatuan Impak Wanita was rejected, due to her alleged blacklist. - Mkini