PUTRAJAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Youth movement Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) wants to take legal action against the Registrar of Societies (ROS) over the delay in registering the group as a political party.
The group has roped in former attorney-general Tommy Thomas and ex-Malaysian Bar president Ambiga Sreenevasan to help fight for their cause.
Led by Mr Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, the group of about 100 Muda supporters submitted a lawyer's letter from Tan Sri Thomas' firm to ROS to demand that the party be registered as soon as possible.
"We have applied to register Muda as a party on Sept 17. Until today, we have not received any update from the ROS on the registration, " said Mr Syed Saddiq after meeting the ROS.
The former youth and sports minister said the group were able to meet the ROS deputy director-general to submit the legal letter.
"We were informed by the ROS that the registration of Muda is still under consideration. There is no approval given out yet. So we have submitted a legal letter to demand that Muda be registered as a party within seven days.
"If Muda is not approved within seven days, we will pursue court action against the ROS," said Mr Syed Saddiq.
He said in comparison, Perikatan Nasional only took three days to be registered under the current government, while Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) was registered in just 30 days during Barisan Nasional's reign.
"Allow Muda, as a party of youths from various race and religion, to be registered according to the democratic process. Let us fight in elections.
"It is a mockery of Malaysian democracy to withhold the legitimate registration of Muda as a political entity," said Mr Syed Saddiq.
Mr Syed Saddiq, 27, was a lawmaker from Bersatu and chief of its youth wing, called Armada, when the party was led by then chairman Mahathir Mohamad.
He was 25 when he was appointed youth and sports minister in 2018 soon after the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration came to power, making him the youngest federal minister since Malaysia's independence.
Tun Dr Mahathir, Mr Syed Saddiq and four other Bersatu MPs were in May sacked from the party after they sat with opposition MPs in a parliamentary session that month.
While Dr Mahathir and the other sacked MPs have formed a new Malay-based party, Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Fighters of the Nation Party), Mr Syed Saddiq has decided to form a new multiracial party targeted at the youth.
