Saifuddin sidesteps RoS-Umno issue, says ‘I’ve moved on’

The home minister pointed out that Umno is already going to vote for its Supreme Council this Saturday.

PETALING JAYA: Home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has sidestepped questions on his decision to give Umno an exemption over the resolution barring contests for its top two posts in the upcoming party elections.

“I’ve already moved on from that episode,” the minister said, dismissing calls for him to explain his decision to give the exemption.

“(Umno) is already going to vote (for its Supreme Council) this Saturday,” he added at a press conference at the PKR headquarters here.

Saifuddin was asked to comment on a purported letter from the Registrar of Societies (RoS) that said the no-contest motion for the posts of president and deputy president was invalid.

The letter had gone viral on social media after Saifuddin said he had granted Umno an exemption under Section 70 of the Societies Act from complying with relevant provisions in the Act for the no-contest motion.

Under Section 70, the minister is empowered to use his discretion to exempt any registered society from any or all of the provisions of the Act.

Section 13(1)(c)(iv), on the other hand, allows the RoS to cancel the registration of a society if it violates any provision of the Act, any regulations made thereunder, or any of its rules.

PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan and former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin had criticised the exemption.

Khairy, who was sacked from Umno in January, said the exemption was proof that the no-contest motion had breached the law, otherwise there would be no need for the exemption.

He accused Saifuddin of using his powers to “absolve an unlawful act and legalise it”.