Umno sec-gen: Chronology of Umno-RoS letters show ‘legitimate expectation’ of polls deferral

Umno had a “legitimate expectation” that the Registrar of Societies (RoS) knew of and would recommend that the party’s election be delayed based on their previous correspondence, Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said today.

The Umno secretary-general also insisted in a press conference today that the party had the prerogative to delay the internal elections.

The RoS invalidated the postponement yesterday on the grounds that this was decided after the term of the Umno office bearers had lapsed.

“Umno stresses that, based on the chronological sequence of correspondence mentioned in the statement between the RoS and Umno, then, there was a legitimate expectation by Umno for the RoS to recommend the postponement of the party election.

“Umno hopes that with this explanation, the polemic between Umno and RoS can be resolved,” he said.

Yesterday, Ahmad Maslan said that he will write formally to RoS on Monday over the government agency’s notification that Umno’s postponement of its party elections was invalid.

He asserted yesterday that the party had communicated the postponement to the RoS on June 24, before the expiry of the office bearers’ three-year term six days later.

Umno’s party elections were initially due to be held on June 30, 2021 as the office bearers’ three-year term would have expired by then, but Umno previously maintained that its supreme council had validly postponed the party elections by the maximum 18 months allowed under the party’s own constitution.

The RoS cited the minutes of the Umno supreme council meeting dated July 7 on the decision to postpone party polls for 18 months to support its view that the postponement was invalid.

Agencies