High Court grants Pribumi its day in court over RoS decision

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here has granted an application by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia for leave for a judicial review challenging the Registrar of Societies (RoS) decision to issue a 30-day provisional disband order against the party.

Justice Azizah Nawawi made the ruling in chambers in the presence of both parties Monday.

Met after the decision, counsel Rosli Dahlan said that Justice Azizah granted leave for them to initiate the judicial review proceeding against the RoS.

Rosli said Justice Azizah also allowed a stay of the RoS order to deregister Pribumi as a political party.

Pribumi secretary-general Shahruddin Md Salleh, who was the applicant, named RoS director-general Surayati Ibrahim as the sole respondent in the fresh leave for a judicial review application filed on April 13.

The party wants a certiorari order to quash the temporary deregistration order against the party dated April 5 as announced by the respondent via the media.

The applicant seeks a prohibition order to restrain Surayati from misusing the Societies Act.

The party also wants a prohibition order to stop the respondent from abusing the Act by quashing its registration under Section 14(7) of the Act, and also to prevent it from becoming a valid political party.

In his affidavit, Shahruddin said Surayati's decision on the temporary deregistration under Section 14(5) was done in bad faith.

He said the RoS failed to hand over the 30-day disband notice to the hand of the party’s office bearers as required under the law.