Perikatan Nasional (PN) has expressed concern over what it describes as a possible "mala fide" or bad faith motive behind the Registrar of Societies’ (ROS) recent suspension of its activities, which coincided with the upcoming Melaka state elections. The coalition’s secretary-general, Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, stated that PN received a show-cause notice and a suspension order from the ROS under Section 13(2A) of the Societies Act 1966, requiring it to halt all activities until further notice.
The notice, Takiyuddin said, was related to a complaint filed by Bersatu concerning a Perikatan meeting held on July 16. He noted that the formal notices were delivered on September 22 and 23, aligning closely with the official announcement of the dissolution of the Melaka state assembly ahead of the state polls. Takiyuddin criticized the timing and rationale behind the ROS decision and indicated that Perikatan intends to challenge the order through the appropriate legal channels. He urged members and supporters of the coalition to remain calm and assured that relevant information and updates would be shared transparently.
A directive was also issued within Perikatan to restrict public statements to only the coalition chairman and secretary-general, underscoring an internal effort to manage communications carefully.
The United Malays National Organisation party PAS, which is allied with Perikatan, confirmed it had been informed of the ROS order issued on September 22 under subsection 13(2) of the Societies Act, referencing the same complaint lodged by Bersatu. PAS expressed confidence that Perikatan would address the matter according to the law and proper legal procedures.
Meanwhile, Parti Wawasan Negara echoed concerns over potential political motives behind the ROS action, suggesting the timing coincided suspiciously with the Melaka Chief Minister’s announcement of the state assembly’s dissolution. The party questioned whether the move was designed to hinder Perikatan’s participation in the forthcoming state election.
In contrast, Bersatu vice-president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu expressed disappointment over the internal discord within Perikatan, describing the situation as a sense of betrayal. Ahmad Faizal lamented that the coalition, once a joint effort, had deteriorated into a crisis with potentially severe consequences.
The ROS provided clarification that the notice issued under subsection 13(2) on September 22 was not a deregistration order but served to give Perikatan the opportunity to respond to the complaint filed by Bersatu. The ROS further explained that a separate order under subsection 13(2A) had been issued to suspend all activities of the coalition, effective from September 23. The initial complaint from Bersatu, received by the ROS on August 11, concerned Perikatan’s alleged exclusion of Bersatu representatives from the supreme council meeting held on July 16, as well as questions regarding Bersatu’s membership status within the coalition.