KUALA LUMPUR: Associations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are constantly scrutinised by the Registrar of Societies (ROS), the Dewan Negara was told.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this is to ensure that there is good governance in the organisation and best practices are adhered to.
While organisations large or small enjoy a high degree of autonomy in their day-to-day operations, they must be run in accordance with their stated purposes and constitutions.
“Organisations must be run in accordance with the Societies Act 1966 to ensure benign governance.
“ROS will take action against any organisation that deviates from its intended purpose.
“Organisations found to work on purposes other than the ones they had registered for under Section 13 will be de-registered,” he said in reply to Senator Khairul Azwan Harun.
Zahid, who is also Home Minister, noted that a high-level committee that includes the ROS, the Registrar of Companies (ROC) and Sports Commissioner's Office will be set up.
The committee, to be chaired by Zahid, will coordinate the monitoring of organisations to plug the loopholes for malpractice and fraud given the increase in the number of NGOs in recent years.
He said that there are organisations that identify themselves as NGOs, but are in fact involved in illegal activities such as money laundering and organised crime.
There are also associations which are not registered with the ROS, ROC or Sports Commissioner's Office at all, he added.
At the same time, Zahid pointed out that up to December this year, only 158 out of 262 consumer associations registered under ROS are active while 104 had been de-registered due to various reasons.