Military veterans’ party to sit out GE15

A political party comprising military veterans will not be able to participate in the forthcoming 15th general election (GE15) that has been fixed for Nov 19.

This is because the hearing of legal action by the veteran’s party - Parti Kemakmuran Negara - to quash the Home Ministry’s refusal to register it has been set for a date after GE15.

On May 4 last year, Bernama reported that the veterans voiced their intention to contest GE15 using their own political platform, and they were targeting about 50 parliamentary and state seats.

Following allegations that the ministry was dragging its feet on its appeal to be registered as a political party, Parti Kemakmuran Negara on Sept 21 successfully obtained a court order to compel the government to decide on the appeal.

However, when the Home Ministry on Oct 4 rejected the appeal for registration, the party reportedly filed a fresh legal action to quash the authorities’ refusal to register it.

When contacted by Malaysiakini, the lead counsel for the military veterans, Lim Wei Jiet, said that the matter was initially set for a hearing last month.

“However, it was vacated as we have to prepare for elections,” said the lawyer, who is a co-founder of the youth-centric party Muda, alongside former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdu Rahman.

According to checks on the online cause list, the matter has been set for case management this morning, and the new hearing date is expected to be fixed after the GE15 date.

The Election Commission (EC) has fixed Nov 5 as nomination day for candidates in the polls and for early voting to be held on Nov 15.

The founders of Parti Kemakmuran Negara come from the armed forces, navy and air force.

Last year, the president of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) Veterans’ Association, Sharuddin Omar, reportedly said the veterans were in the midst of forming Parti Kemakmuran Negara.

Sharuddin said the veterans wanted to contest in GE15 due to the government’s delay in resolving issues related to the veterans, especially salary and pensions, as well as other issues concerning the public.

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