PUTRAJAYA: The Bersatu general assembly will go on as planned despite the arrest and the impending charging of the party president.
Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said they will go on with the assembly “in accordance with the law”, taking an obvious dig at Umno, which some claim has breached its party constitution.
“We held a political bureau meeting yesterday (Wednesday) and decided to continue with the assembly as it is the law. We are a group that abides by laws.
“There are other groups that fail to comply, even when the Registrar of Societies (ROS) issues letters, but what we are doing is (complying with) the law,” he told reporters outside the MACC headquarters yesterday.
The Larut MP said the party must hold its general assembly within an 18-month period and is going ahead with it.
Continuing with his dig at Umno, he said: “There are certain people who do not respect the law, and such groups should not lead our country.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that the law is followed by all.”
Hamzah also criticised Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail for granting Umno an exemption over a resolution to bar contests for its two top posts.
“His decision to use his powers under the Societies Act 1966 to exempt Umno from complying with a section under the same law is premature,” he said.
It has been reported that Umno was given an exemption under the Societies Act 1966 (Act 832) regarding the resolution for no contests for the posts of president and deputy president. The resolution was passed during the party’s 2022 general assembly.
Saifuddin said the exemption was made based on Section 70 of the Act.
Under the section, the minister may, at his discretion, exempt in writing any registered society from all or any of the provisions of the Act.
Last month, it was reported that ROS was investigating alleged violations of the party’s constitution over the approval of the resolution.
