KUALA LUMPUR – Now that the launch of Kamarazaman Yaakob’s Parti Kuasa Rakyat is done and dusted, all eyes will be on the registration of the newest party in town as an official political party by the Registrar of Societies (RoS).
Led by the elder brother of Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, speculation has been rife that the prime minister is somewhat involved in the new party.
However, in an interview with Malaysiakini, Kamarazaman said his younger brother had no inkling of his new political outfit – not until the launch was made known to the public.
Launched on October 10, the veteran activist said his multiracial party will not oppose Umno, but instead, is friendly to Barisan Nasional.
Will we see Kamarazaman’s new political outfit being registered before Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s Muda?
If this materialises, further questions will be raised as to how Kuasa managed to obtain a swift approval while Muda had struggled for over a year for its application to be approved.
However, speaking to the press after the party’s launch, Kamarazaman said Kuasa is in talks with a registered party to merge and form a new leadership.
Without divulging too much detail, he said his party would focus on empowering the B40 and M40 groups and the youth in the country.
Muda had initially filed for registration on September 17 last year.
However, RoS – which is under the purview of the Home Ministry – rejected Muda’s initial application in January this year.
On February 4, Muda filed an appeal to Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin to reconsider the decision to reject the application.
Syed Saddiq and 12 others then filed Muda’s first judicial review application on April 26 to challenge RoS’ decision to reject its initial application to be registered as a political party.
On May 25, the high court granted Muda permission to initiate the judicial review.
After Hamzah rejected the appeal on August 12, Muda withdrew the first judicial review application and filed a fresh judicial review application on August 24 to challenge the Larut MP and RoS’ decision.
On September 21, judge Datuk Noorin Badaruddin granted leave to initiate legal proceedings against RoS and Hamzah’s refusal to register Muda as a political party.
Muda pro-tem vice-president Lim Wei Jiet told The Vibes on Tuesday that the high court had fixed December 14 to hear Muda’s application to quash Hamzah’s decision to reject its appeal against the government’s refusal to register the party.
“We hope for a favourable outcome by then. In the meantime, we hope the PM and home minister will be able to resolve this issue without involving the courts – it really is a simple matter of registering a political party, this is the most basic component in electoral democracy,” Lim said.
‘Societies Act should be reformed’
Lim, who is also Muda’s lawyer, said the government should not be the gatekeeper of which parties are allowed to be formed.
“The Societies Act 1966 should be reformed and RoS merely facilitating the registration of parties within a fixed period, as mandated by the law. For instance, registering the party within one month from application.
“RoS should not act as a bureaucratic gatekeeper as it is now.
“It should also be made answerable to Parliament instead of the home minister,” he added.
Asked on Muda’s plans if it fails to be registered by the 15th general election, Lim declined to comment, saying it is still too early to tell.
“As you know, things can change very fast in politics. We will, of course, have our back-up strategy which will be revealed only when the time and situation is right.”
Following Kuasa’s launch, 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 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 about Syed Saddiq? Better to register both.
“When is Azmin Ali’s new party (going to be set up)?” asked Puad, in a prod at International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali. – The Vibes, October 15, 2021
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