Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) said that it expects its registration with the Registar of Society (ROS) to be approved soon, as it has fulfilled all the requirements and criteria for a new political party.

"We hope there are no more impediments for Bersatu's application to be approved in line with Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's assurance that approval will be given if there are no problems," said its pro tem secretary Kamarulazman Habibur Rahman.

Zahid, in early August, said that the ROS would be professional in evaluating and processing Bersatu's application, which would go through if everything was in order.

Kamarulazman added that Bersatu pro tem president Muhyiddin Yassin had also met with ROS representatives yesterday who told him that there is no reason for the new party's approval to be rejected.

"We have adhered to all the stated requirements in the application for a new political party," said the Kamarulazman.

He said that the ROS representatives have told Muhyiddin that the regulatory body was satisfied that everything was in order and was happy that all advice and proposal from it was adhered to by the Bersatu pro tem committee.
Kamarulazman said that during the meeting, Muhyiddin expressed hope that the registration of Bersatu will be finalised in one month's time as originally promised by the ROS.

Muhyiddin expects the new party will be officially recognised on Sept 9, one month after its registration on Aug 9.

He heads the seven-member pro tem committee that registered Bersatu under the guidance of pro tem chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The process of registering new political parties in Malaysia, especially by those not friendly to the government, are often fraught with delays, forcing some to take over existing parties instead, like Amanah and Kita prior to this.

Bersatu, which will only be open to bumiputeras, was the brainchild of Mahathir, who said that it was a vehicle of last resort to displace Umno and remove Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak after all others means were exhausted.

The party has also drawn the likes of former Umno renegades like Kamarulazman and former Langkawi Wanita Umno member Anina Saadudin who were fired from Umno for questioning Najib.

But while the presence of Bersatu was large welcomed by the opposition, analysts ponder if it would be able to face Umno toe-to-toe in the Malay heartlands, especially with PAS set to play spoiler with the anti-government Malay votes.