Exactly what does opposition party DAP mean by phrases like 'secular document' and 'local government elections' in its new constitution?

The Selangor Registrar of Societies (ROS) certainly wants to know, based on a letter dated June 20, but the DAP fears there is more to the situation.

Secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said he was upset with the "bias and ignorance" of the ROS in handling the DAP's application for approval of its constitutional amendments , adopted by its national convention in March.

"DAP cannot understand why the Selangor ROS is questioning (the) constitutional amendments in which (many of the words) are self-explanatory," he told reporters at Parliament House today.

In a two-page letter signed by department director Mohd Yunus Jamil, the DAP was told to explain several phrases in the new constitution before the ROS considers the application submitted on April 12.

These include 'secular document', 'to strive by parliamentary means for the establishment of a social democracy in Malaysia', 'to reaffirm and restore the Malaysian constitution in its original secular framework', 'to promote Asean community' and 'restoring government elections'.

"We can't believe the ROS is so ignorant. If they don't understand what is the meaning of 'restoring local government elections', for instance, they are not fit to sit in the (department)," he said.

He said that, under usual practice, the application would be approved quickly ROS and that component parties of the ruling coalition would not have been questioned under similar circumstances.

"There is a possibility they might reject the application," Lim said, vowing to take the case to court if approval is not granted.

The DAP stated in the constitution that the Merdeka Constitution is a secular document, while the remaining phrases were part of the 18-point objectives.

Constitution overhauled

Lim said he would reply the ROS by today, but told the official not to "interfere" with the new constitution.

The party amended its 40-year-old constitution as part of its 're-branding' move, although this was met with some discontent.

The document was overhauled from the initial six-point objectives to a more all-encompassing 18 points.

The amendments includes a clearer definition of the party's stance on various issues such as gender equality, workers' rights and local government elections.

However, the bone of contention was over the change of wording of the party's struggle for a 'democratic socialist' pattern of society to 'social democracy' in society.

That led to heated internal debate as to whether the party has abandoned its socialism agenda, but delegates later adopted the changes.