‘DAP cannot legally be part of Pakatan now’
(NST) – A FORMER DAP leader has pointed out that the party did not have any locus standi (legal right) to be part of the Pakatan opposition alliance because the Registrar of Societies (RoS) did not recognise its leadership.
Former party vice-chairman Zulkifli Mohd Noor said DAP leaders had no right to attend any congress organised by the alliance, as long as its central executive committee (CEC) line-up was not sanctioned by RoS.
He said a crack had appeared in the opposition alliance as a result of DAP’s CEC fiasco and it may lead to the potential downfall of the alliance, which is now also known as Pakatan Dua Parti.
“The DAP leadership is an invalid lot and has no legal basis to make any binding decision, as long as it does not have RoS’ blessings. DAP is stubborn and holding on to false ego, having held a special congress to re-elect CEC members prior to RoS’ approval,” he said here yesterday, adding that DAP’s refusal to heed RoS’ advice had dragged PKR and Pas into a dilemma.
“PKR and Pas are unable to make a collective decision for the opposition pact if RoS does not recognise DAP as a party.”
Zulkifli took a swipe at DAP, labelling the party’s leaders as dictators and self-centred cronies. He blasted the recently concluded DAP Johor state convention for alleged malpractice, as Kluang member of parliament Liew Chin Tong, who had received the highest number of votes in the CEC re-election, finished at only the 14th spot in the state polls on Sunday.
Zulkifli took a leaf out of the Kedah DAP crisis, where the CEC had sacked state chairman Lee Guan Aik and appointed an interim committee chaired by Bukit Bendera MP Zairil Khir Johari.
RoS had, however, ruled that Lee was the legitimate Kedah DAP chairman, according to the party’s constitution.
Zulkifli, still a party member, expressed his concern that DAP was no longer democratic because of certain selfish leaders. He urged RoS to not bow down to political tactics deployed by DAP leaders to deviate public attention from its CEC fiasco.
DAP had, as ordered by RoS, held a special congress to re-elect its CEC in Petaling Jaya on Sept 29 last year after a tabulation error in the CEC line-up, following the first party polls on Dec 12, 2012.
In Kangar, another Pas member joined the chorus in pressuring the DAP leadership to investigate its national legal bureau chairman, Gobind Singh Deo, over his claim that he had submitted a legal notice to RoS last month.
Repoh Pas member Mohd Hussin Hassan, 43, who claimed to represent the party’s grassroots, said Gobind’s silence would tarnish DAP’s image and that of Pakatan.
“To ensure it does not happen, we urge the DAP leadership, including its secretary-general, Lim Guan Eng, to investigate and advise Gobind to hold a press conference to prove that he had submitted the notice to RoS.
“Gobind should be aware of the implications of his statement and back it with solid proof.”
A news portal had reported that Gobind had submitted the notice to RoS on Dec 23, urging it to recognise DAP’s CEC re-election results.
It was later reported that RoS denied receiving the notice, while Gobind has avoided commenting on the issue.
