KUALA LUMPUR • Malaysia's Democratic Action Party (DAP) says it will not hold fresh polls for its central executive committee (CEC) until after it meets with the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

"The DAP will seek a meeting with the ROS as soon as we receive the letter from the ROS to obtain clarification in respect of the decision as set out in their press statement," the party said in a statement issued yesterday.

The ROS had said in a statement on Friday that it would direct the opposition party to hold fresh elections for its 20-member CEC, because the previous re-election process that was carried out in September 2013 was invalid.

ROS director-general Mohammad Razin Abdullah stressed on Friday that DAP was a valid party in the eyes of the law and there was no intention whatsoever to deregister it.

The DAP said yesterday that the "question of a fresh re-election does not arise" because it had already conducted a re-election in accordance with an ROS directive dated July 30, 2013.

It said the result of that re-election was communicated to the ROS in November 2013, in accordance with the provisions of the party's Constitution and the Societies Act 1966.

"Nevertheless, we are prepared to meet the ROS to discuss the matter," said DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who read out the statement at a press conference.

DAP said it was shocked at the ROS statement that the re-election in 2013 was invalid.

"Making this statement four years later is intended to cripple our party's administration and jeopardises our preparation for GE14. We have yet to receive an official letter from the ROS conveying their decision to us."

GE14 refers to the 14th general election which must be held by August next year.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK