Is Hishammuddin stalling Pakatan Rakyat registration...

PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution accused Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein of stalling Pakatan Rakyat (PR)’s registration as a formal coalition. He said the delay was due to interference from the Home Ministry, not the Registrar of Societies (RoS).

Saifuddin said that PR had actually obtained RoS’ clearance to register as legal political entity but the delay was due to “meddling” from the Home Minister himself. “RoS has approved Pakatan Rakyat’s registration... in fact, the RoS officer has already informed me about the approval.

“But what is preventing the registration is when the minister (Hishammuddin) does not want to sign the application — RoS has approved but not the minister,” Saifuddin told The Malaysian Insider.

The Machang MP said that special approval was needed from Hishammuddin for the setting-up of any formal organisation including PR. “We have done the necessary but we are caught in a bureaucratic mess,” said Saifuddin.

When asked about RoS’ guidelines which specified that a minimum of seven members were needed for a coalition to be formally registered, Saifuddin said that it would not be a hindrance to PR. He also said that he was not informed of the stipulation, but believed that it was not part of the main guideline set by the RoS.

“RoS says (in the media) that registration cannot be done because we have not enough members but we have not been officially informed about the matter, only through the media.

“I believe that that is not the main guideline but if it is, it will not be a hindrance and we can discuss this,” said Saifuddin.

The federal opposition now has four members -- PAS, PKR, DAP and Parti Nasional Sarawak (SNAP). RoS has previously stated that PR could register as an official political coalition because the seven-member stipulation was no longer being practised. PR made its application in 2009. The RoS has yet to respond.

source:malaysian insider

cheers.