Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia yesterday filed a judicial review application in response to the Registrar of Societies’ (ROS) decision to dissolve the party temporarily.

The application, among others, seeks a declaration from the court that the party had complied with the Section 14(2) notice of the Societies Act and that it can contest in the 14th general election as a valid political party.

It is also seeking a prohibition order against ROS director-general Surayati Ibrahim for wrongly issuing the order of dissolution to Bersatu by abusing the provision of Section 14(5) of the Societies Act.

Section 14 (2) stipulates that the Registrar, at any time by notice under his hand, can order any registered society to furnish him in writing various documents, including rules of the society, the true and complete list of its office bearers of any branch, or such other information necessary.

Section 14 (5) states that where the particulars required under subsection (2) are not furnished within the time stated in the order, or any extension thereof allowed by the Registrar, the Registrar may make a provisional order for dissolution of the society.

The application was filed by Bersatu secretary-general Sharuddin Md Salleh, and names Surayati (photo below) as the sole respondent. Sharuddin also affirmed an affidavit to this cause.

Malaysiakini sighted the application filed by the law firm Chethan Jethwani at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

Bersatu's application for leave to initiate the judicial review has been fixed for April 10 before judge Kamaludin Md Said.

In a judicial review, an application for leave (or permission) has to be granted to initiate a review of a decision made by a government department or agency.

It is understood the application for leave was filed yesterday, before the ROS press conference announcing the order for the temporary dissolution of Bersatu.

The action taken is an addition to the proposed leave for contempt proceeding to be initiated against the ROS by Pakatan Harapan, as indicated by lead counsel Gobind Singh Deo yesterday.

Besides the main declaration listed above to allow Bersatu to contest, it is seeking a plethora of declarations, which include that the party had fully complied with the ROS' requirements and that the ROS, by issuing a letter dated April 2 this year, did not have basis to issue a dissolution order on the party.

It is also seeking a declaration that it has a legitimate expectation as an entity to ensure the ROS cannot take drastic action in the form of a threat to the party's dissolution and that it has a legitimate expectation to carry out its activities, including to contest in the elections.

Besides this, Bersatu is also seeking a declaration that it has a legitimate expectation that ROS would not commit procedural impropriety to any of Bersatu queries and that the party has the expectation, under the rules of natural justice, for a right to be heard and not allow ROS to bar it from contesting in the coming general election.

In Shahrudin's affidavit in support, he highlights the 1MDB scandal and action taken by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) to forfeit assets lost, the lack of reciprocal action by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to deny that he is Malaysian Official 1, and to stop the forfeiture action.

It also highlights how Najib had used his powers within Umno to suspend Muhyiddin Yassin, who is now Bersatu president, and Mukhriz Mahathir, and that he had used his influence to prevent the speaker from prohibiting 1MDB related questions from being asked.

The 50-page affidavit also states that as a result of the leaders' suspensions, Bersatu was formed and it also lists how the ROS had reacted negatively to its formation in 2016, and that it had complied with all that is required by the ROS.