KUALA LUMPUR, SEPT 26- DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke said that the party would hold its special congress on Sunday, but subject to the High Court ruling scheduled for tomorrow on an injunction filed by a former party member.
“We are following the party constitution in regards to the matter but let’s wait for the High Court ruling,” he said.
ROS director general Abdul Rahman Othman was quoted in the media earlier this week as saying that DAP could face deregistration if it holds its CEC polls without holding a special congress meeting first.
Abdul Rahman also said that he had advised DAP on the matter repeatedly and as a regulatory body, ROS was merely protecting the rights all party members and not just its office bearers.
On July 30, the ROS ordered DAP to hold a fresh CEC election, saying it was not satisfied with the “technical glitch” explanation given in regards to its CEC polls held in December, which saw some discrepancies during ballot tally.
Asked to comment on the injunction, Loke said he will wait for the decision but in the meantime, the party will continue to make preparations for the CEC election scheduled on Sunday.
Former Ladang Paroi branch DAP deputy chairman A David Dass filed the injunction recently against DAP in a bid to stop its CEC polls and the High Court is set to deliver its verdict tomorrow.
In his argument, David said that the party should have given a minimum 10 weeks notice period before holding the polls, but the party argued that it only needed to give seven days minimum notice given the special circumstances.
Baffling remark from ROS
On related matter, DAP vice chairman Teresa Kok said that Abdul Rahman’s remark simply slowed that he has not fully read or understood DAP’s constitution .
“Or is it because he understood but is trying to make things difficult again for the DAP for some political reasons?” she asked in a statement.
The Seputeh MP said DAP’s constitution empowered the CEC election to be held either through a National Congress or a Special Party Congress.
“These are clearly stated in the party’s constitution,” she added.
She pointed out that for the National Congress to be held, 10 week notice was required to be given to branch secretaries so as to allow branches to have more than sufficient time to hold meetings to propose resolutions, party constitutional amendments or specific business for tabling at the Congress and to nominate candidates for CEC election.
Special Party Congress is held for specific business and for the Special Party Congress; a notice of not less than seven days is required to be sent to all branches and delegates, she said.
“As there was no controversy over the candidates’ list used in last December’s disputed Congress, it has been decided that no fresh nomination is required and hence the CEC decided to conduct fresh election through a Special Party Congress to be held on Sept 29.
“If no fresh nomination is required, is it not logical to hold the fresh nomination as soon as possible through a Special Congress?”.
“I wish to remind Abdul Rahman that his decision to direct a fresh CEC election without assigning reason is most unjust and unprofessional. He has also become a most political ROS with his frequent media remarks.
“He must realise that till today he still owes the DAP and the nation an explanation for his decision,” she said.
