DAP to hold CEC re-election under protest

(NST) – DAP has agreed to hold its Central Executive Committee (CEC) re-election but under protest, to show disagreement with the Registrar of Societies’ (RoS) claims of irregularities in the party’s 2013 re-election.

The party’s vice-president Teresa Kok said the CEC re-election will be based on the 2012 delegates list which had been verified on Dec 15, 2012.

“As (RoS’) decision (to instruct for a re-election) was given to us at a time when the 14th General Election can be held at anytime, DAP is ready to hold its re-election under protest and without affecting our rights to take legal action if needed.

“The re-election will be held during a special congress, as stipulated in the party’s constitution,” she told reporters at the RoS headquarters today.

She said DAP had also proposed to appoint independent audit firm, PKF Consulting, to oversee and conduct its re-election as requested by the RoS.

Earlier, Kok and DAP national organisational secretary Anthony Loke handed their letter of reply to the RoS’ Compliance Department deputy director Mohd Nawawi Che Mat.

Loke said the re-election, however, could only be held after the registrar approves the party’s delegates list and its choice of the independent consultancy firm.

“The ball is now in RoS’ court. Everything is subject to their approval, otherwise we cannot move forward,” he said.

In 2013, the RoS had ordered a re-election of DAP’s CEC after it found irregularities and manipulation of votes by the party in its initial election in December 2012.

After the re-election, some party members claimed that they were denied the right to attend the party congress as delegates.

In a statement earlier this month, RoS director-general Datuk Mohammad Razin Abdullah instructed DAP to hold a re-election of the party’s CEC, saying that it is necessary as the election of CEC members and key positions via a re-election on Sept 29, 2013 was deemed unlawful.