Parti Sosialis Malaysia's (PSM) suit against the Home Ministry to have itself registered as a political party was postponed yet again today.

Counsel for PSM, R Kesavan and Teng Chang Khim, who met Justice Abdul Aziz Mohamad in chambers, later told reporters that the case was postponed to Jan 16 of next year due to a 'clash of dates'.

This is the fifth time the case has been postponed. PSM, whose pro-tem chairperson is former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee Dr Nasir Hashim, filed the suit against the Home Affairs ministry on Oct 26, 1999.

The PSM pro-tem committee had filed for political party registration under the Societies Act on April 30, 1998 but were informed by the Home Ministry in February 1999 that their application had been rejected. They were not given reasons for the denial.

The party then appealed against the rejection but were informed on Sept 23, 1999 that its appeal against the rejection by the ministry had been dismissed.

No reasons

In its suit, PSM claims that the home minister had not given any reasons for rejecting the party's appeal and had acted beyond his powers under Article 10 (1) (c) of the Federal Constitution.

Article 10 refers to the right of citizens to form associations subject to certain restrictions imposed by the law.

The case was first postponed in August last year as the prosecutors were involved with the sodomy case of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. It was postponed again in November when both parties attempted an out-of-court settlement which failed.

The case was postponed again on Dec 12 and Feb 28 this year.