Malaysia De-registers Main Opposition Coalition Perikatan Nasional Ahead of Key Elections

Malaysia’s Registrar of Societies (RoS) has cancelled the registration of Perikatan Nasional (PN), the country’s main opposition coalition, dealing a blow to the bloc ahead of elections expected in coming months.

The Malaysia opposition deregistered order was announced on Tuesday, October 20, after the registrar ruled that the coalition’s explanation failed to address the grounds for cancellation set out in an earlier notice.

FAKTA

• The Registrar of Societies cancelled Perikatan Nasional’s registration under subparagraph 13(1)(c)(iv) of the Societies Act 1966.
• RoS had issued a show-cause notice to PN on September 22; the coalition submitted its response on October 12, which the registrar found unsatisfactory.
• The trigger was a complaint by Bersatu, led by former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, alleging it had been excluded from a PN Supreme Council meeting on July 16.
• PN secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said the coalition would file a legal challenge, calling the move an attempt to “weaken political opponents ahead of the Malacca election”.
• The Malacca state vote on November 14 is seen as a key test for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government; without registration, PN’s component parties cannot contest elections under a common banner.

Malaysia opposition deregistered after show-cause process

In a statement on Tuesday, the Registrar of Societies said it had issued the show-cause notice to PN on September 22 under subsection 13(2) of the Societies Act 1966, giving the coalition the opportunity to submit its explanation and representations regarding the matters raised.

PN filed its response on October 12. According to the registrar, a review of the documents and explanations found that the reasons given failed to refute the grounds for cancellation and did not provide sufficient justification for maintaining the coalition’s registration.

“The Registrar of Societies has decided to cancel PN’s registration under subparagraph 13(1)(c)(iv) of the Societies Act 1966,” the statement said. The department added that every registered society is responsible for complying with the Societies Act and its own constitution, and that it would continue to carry out its regulatory and enforcement functions “firmly, fairly and in accordance with the law”.

The entrance of the Parliament of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. The RoS decision means Perikatan Nasional’s component parties can no longer contest elections under a common banner. (Photo: Watan News)

A coalition fractured from within

Perikatan Nasional has been facing growing rifts between its two key parties: the conservative Islamist party PAS — which holds the most seats of any single party in Malaysia’s 222-member parliament — and the Malay nationalist party Bersatu, with both vying for leadership of the coalition.

Bersatu had filed a formal complaint to the Registrar of Societies alleging that it had been excluded from a PN Supreme Council meeting in July, describing it as a breach of the coalition’s constitution by rival grouping PAS. The registrar had earlier confirmed receiving Bersatu’s official complaint on August 11.

According to reports, the RoS suspended PN’s activities on September 23 after issuing the notice requiring the coalition to explain the complaint. PN had filed an application for judicial review challenging the suspension notice on October 5.

What comes next for Malaysia’s opposition

PN secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan, who is also a PAS leader, said in a statement that the coalition would file a legal challenge against the de-registration order.

“PN condemns this action as an attempt to… weaken political opponents ahead of the Malacca election,” Takiyuddin said, referring to the November 14 state vote in Malacca, which is seen as the latest test for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim following defeats in two other regional polls earlier this year.

An early general election could also be triggered amid simmering tensions within Anwar’s multi-party ruling coalition, while local media reports say Barisan Nasional and PAS have been discussing cooperation in the Malacca polls.

For now, the de-registration means PN’s component parties — including several smaller organisations besides Bersatu and PAS — would not be able to contest elections under a common banner, reshaping Malaysia’s political landscape months before the next test at the ballot box. More coverage of regional political developments is available in our World news section.