Tunku Aziz: DAP only has itself to blame

PETALING JAYA: DAP has no one to blame for its current trouble with the Registrar of Societies (RoS) but itself, said a former leader.

Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim said the complaints that triggered the RoS to instruct DAP to hold fresh elections for its central executive committee was not filed by people outside the party.

“The complaints were lodged by its own members who felt they had been cheated of their rightful place, so it is no use blaming anybody else for what has happened,” said Tunku Abdul Aziz, who was a former DAP vice-chairman.

He said that since the DAP claims it has legitimacy to lead the country, it also has an essential responsibility to prove that it plays by the rules.

“At the moment they are in a hung state, in a state of suspended animation. All they need to do is just comply and re-elect (the CEC) based on the 2012 attendance list and that will be it,” he said.

Tunku Abdul Aziz said the RoS' action has also debunked allegations that it was out to de-register the Opposition party.

“There is no question of the party being de-registered and no reason why the party should be de-registered.

“This issue is essentially a procedural matter whereby the DAP had not followed proper procedures in an election seen as flawed, unfair and unjust by their own members.”

He said DAP has so far ignored the RoS directives to rectify the problem.

“I think the time has come to require compliance. If the DAP really believes that it really has nothing to hide then it should hold a re-election so that everyone can move on,” he added.

He said the RoS' instructions had brought relief to DAP members who were unhappy with the way the party has been managed.

“There is at last some glimmer of hope that the mistakes made will be rectified,” said Tunku Abdul Aziz.