Most Read
Most Commented
Read more like this
mk-logo
News
Yoursay: ROS, why the about-face reversal on Harapan registration?

YOURSAY | ‘The registrar should explain what has changed before and after GE14.’

ROS finally approves Harapan's registration as coalition

[email protected]: The approval of Pakatan Harapan’s registration as a coalition by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) does not at all enhance my confidence in the public service.

It strengthens my view that our public service still acts by second-guessing their political masters. Had May 9 gone the other way, what would your decision be, ROS director-general Surayati Ibrahim?

Only with institutional reforms would we dare to hope for integrity and impartiality to be restored to the public service.

By flip-flopping, abusing and misusing her legislative discretion, Surayati has politicised her office, and made her very senior position untenable.

Surayati, I hope, will not go on to suddenly ban Umno or declare Umno illegal, for that can only be interpreted as her again second-guessing her new political master out to “get back” at enemies.

That will not inspire confidence and her decision will poison the ground. This time around, supporters of Umno would be justified in saying, with a change of government, Umno is now politically persecuted.

Surayati, you must go.

Anonymous 770241447347646: Now you see it and now you don't. Decisions are made like magic shows.

It is time for the ruling party to put these procedures in order so that future parties do not have to go through such “magical” procedures.

Observer123: Surayati should be hauled up to explain why, out of the blue, ROS approved the registration of Harapan as a legal political coalition.

Did she explain why the application was not approved prior to the general election? 

SelangorKu: ROS's approval of Harapan's application as a coalition is further proof that ROS is controlled by politicians. By extension, the government service is not neutral.

MahuSeeLui: Public officials are supposed to be apolitical and carry out their duties under the law without fear or favour.

Obviously, many government leaders did not do so because they were then PM Najib Razak's cronies, or out of fear for their jobs or seeking promotion by currying favour.

ROS seems to be one of them. This quick about-turn does not augur well for Surayati's position.

She may not be a priority and thus perhaps not under PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s focus at the moment. But I doubt she will last.

RM2.6 Billion Turkey Haram: Surayati, if you had been fair, you would not face such an embarrassing situation.

Tell us, what is the difference between Harapan now and Harapan before the elections?

ROS gives Bersatu all clear, hand-delivers Harapan cert

AnotherKomentar: While this is a welcome development, ROS, like many government agencies tasked with statutory duties, must rid itself of this culture that it is subservient to the powers of the state.

Reform begins when all levels of society recognise and respect the rule of law, not rule by law.

Quigonbond: Indeed, it would be good, for transparency and good governance, for ROS to explain what changed before and after the general election.

Was it a wrong judgment call of the ROS director-general? Did she abuse her power? She did say there were some irregularities.

To avoid the federal opposition raising this issue and going to court to challenge the registration in the future, we need clear closure on this issue.

Just Wondering: The rakyat must demand a full and public explanation over this turn of events.

Why was Harapan’s application rejected at first, and now suddenly approved?

It should be ensured that either way, it is rule of law and not political might that determines things, and the respective wrongdoers duly penalised.

Vent: Is this a clever sleight of hand by Surayati and her minions to avoid “punishment”? This is much too swift and dodgy.

Where is the due process? Or rather, the much-touted rule of law and the clarion call for transparency, accountability and good governance?

Why are Mahathir and Harapan accepting it without any explanation by Surayati?

Harapan, remember that old and quaint English adage? “What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander too.”

We Malaysians know the goose is cooked, but if the gander is allowed to waddle too freely, it is clearly in danger too. The rule of law has to rein it in.

Monkeys Caught in the Net: This will be a lesson in future, to show that public institutions should be free from political interference.

We can now repair a wrecked country and put things right. It is never too late to restore justice and transparency in this country.

Middle Path: See how humans work? When you are in power, you are king. All those man-made laws are merely there to be removed at the stroke of a pen.

Yes, blue-collared heads of any government departments must be trained to follow standard operating procedures and not “angkat kaki” (suck up) to whoever is in power.


 

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.

ADS