ALOR STAR: It appeared that Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) has failed to adapt its own party organisational structure, which was modelled after Umno.
Its deputy president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir today admitted that the party organisational structure was based on Umno's but acknowledged that the party has yet to be able to adapt the structure down to its divisional and branch levels.
This, he said, has resulted in the party being unable to hold annual general meetings (AGM) at the division, branch and central levels.
"Actually the party organisational structure is based on a model used in Umno. We have formed PPBM at national, division, right down to branch level.
"However, we have yet to settle the party's proper structure at the divisional and branch level which requires a registration number from the Registar of Societies (RoS)," he said at the conclusion of the Kedah state legislative assembly sitting on Thursday.
Mukhriz, who is also Ayer Hitam assemblyman, acknowledged that until the registration of the party's branch level is completed, PPBM would not be able to hold its national AGM.
"The question is, to hold an AGM, we need delegates from our party divisions, but at this point who will become the divisional delegates. In Umno, the division delegates were selected from their branches.
"Unless RoS gives an exception on this requirement, we cannot hold the AGM until there all the party branches are properly registered… So we are waiting for the RoS to decide on this matter," he said.
Mukhriz said to date, PPBM has about 155 divisions nationwide which have registered with the RoS with another 10 divisions yet to register with the agency.
He tried to play down the matter and said it was a common issue for a new party like PPBM.
"I don't think this is a big issue, it is just technical matter, unless there is political element which is trying to deny us our rights to take part in the democratic process and the tactic is being adopted to assure an unfair victory in the next general election," he said.
Mukhriz was responding to a statement by PPBM chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, that the party's failure to hold AGM at the division, branch and central levels was due to the party’s poor organisational structure.
Dr Mahathir said the party’s branches and divisions have yet to hold meetings at their respective levels despite having many members, adding that the branches are the most disorganised section of the party, which was founded in September last year.
On Sunday, Registry of Societies (RoS) director-general Surayati Ibrahim said PPBM is facing a possibility of deregistration if it fails to resolve issues concerning a proposed amendment to the party's constitution, and its failure to hold AGMs at the division, branch and central levels.
She was reported as saying that PPBM’s failure to hold an AGM since it was registered a year ago was a violation under its own party constitution as well as under the Societies Act 1966.
She added that PPBM allegedly failed to conduct AGMs at its divisions and branches with a minimum quorum.