KUALA LUMPUR – With the launch of Parti Kuasa Rakyat yesterday, Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi said the government should not be afraid to register new political parties, including Muda.
“Same, but not the same. Now that there are two ‘PKR’ parties – Parti Keadilan Rakyat and Parti Kuasa Rakyat. Don’t just register ‘PKR’ (Baru) and not Muda.
“What’s there to be scared of Syed Saddiq (Syed Abdul Rahman)? Better to register both.
“When is Azmin Ali’s new party (going to be set up)?” asked Puad as he poked at International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.
Puad’s comments came after Kuasa was launched yesterday.
The new party is aiming to contest in the next general election with a line-up of multiracial candidates, said founder Kamarazaman Yaakob, who is also the prime minister’s elder brother.
He added that it is also looking to free the people from the clutches of “middlemen and race-baiting”.
Last month, Muda co-founder Syed Saddiq and 12 others obtained leave to initiate legal proceedings over a decision by the home minister and Registrar of Society (RoS) in rejecting their appeal to register Muda as a political party.
They had filed a fresh judicial review application on August 24 to challenge the decision of the home minister and RoS in rejecting their appeal to register Muda as a political party, naming the home minister and RoS as the first and second respondent respectively.
Syed Saddiq and company are seeking a declaration that their application to register Muda as a political party was in order and in compliance with all the requirements under the Societies Act 1966.
They are also seeking a mandamus order for both respondents to register Muda as a political organisation within 14 days from the date of the order, as well as aggravated and exemplary damages, and other relief and orders deemed fit by the court.
On August 18, Muda withdrew its judicial review application to file a fresh one on grounds that it had become academic as the home minister had made a decision on their appeal on August 12. – The Vibes, October 11, 2021