‘Umno’s ‘bogus’ no-contest motion unlawful or Saifuddin wouldn’t have given exemption’

KUALA LUMPUR – The Registrar of Societies (RoS) must have originally found Umno’s resolution to have no contest for its top two posts unlawful, or Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution would not have made an exemption, said Khairy Jamaluddin.

The sacked Ummo politician, in a video on his social media platforms, also showed a copy of the purported RoS letter dated March 2 to Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, which states that the resolution is unlawful.

“It is not lawful because it violated Umno’s constitutional provisions whereby the president and deputy president ‘shall be elected every three years’,” Khairy said in the video, citing Article 9.3.

“If the home minister had to use his power to grant exemption, it means that the matter must have violated the Societies Act 1966. If not, there would be no need for the exemption.”

The RoS is under the purview of the Home Ministry.

Khairy was referring to a statement by Saifuddin earlier today that ministerial discretion was used to accept the no-contest resolution and grant an exemption to Umno from deregistration.

Khairy called the motion, which was passed at the Umno general assembly in January, a “bogus” one that had robbed party delegates of the right to choose their leaders.

He also said Umno’s deregistration was never an issue, as the RoS letter had merely asked the party to “take corrective measures” and never mentioned deregistration.

The former Rembau MP and ex-health minister said it was “embarrassing” that Umno’s top two, president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and deputy Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, had to be “saved” by a PKR minister.

Earlier today, PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan questioned Saifuddin’s “approval” of the Umno resolution, saying that this meant the RoS letter must have found the no-contest decision to be invalid. – The Vibes, March 7, 2023