No one can stop formation of new political party - Takiyuddin

No one can stop the formation of a new political party by any individual, said PAS secretary-general, Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan.

Takiyuddin, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, therefore, said, anyone, including Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, could set up a new political party as long as it meets the conditions set by the Registrar of Societies (RoS).

"In Malaysia, we have tens of political parties. Some are active and some are inactive. That is the right of individuals under Article 10(1)(c) of the Federal Constitution," he told reporters after launching the 42nd annual general meeting of the Kelantan Justice of Peace Council which was also attended by its chairman Datuk Seri Zukri Samat here today.

In the meantime, Takiyuddin expected that the Malays would continue to split if Dr Mahathir remained with the decision to set up another Malay-based political party.

"I'm not sure what the purpose of Tun (Dr Mahathir) setting up another Malay-based party. My experience with Tun, he often raised the issue of Malays splitting up. He has supporters and the Malays will be increasingly divided," he said.

Yesterday, Dr Mahathir announced the formation of a new party that is not aligned to either Pakatan Harapan or the Perikatan Nasional (PN).

Dr Mahathir said the new party, which has yet to be named, however, will have the same basis of struggle as Bersatu, that he co-founded before, which is to fight corruption and kleptocracy.

Meanwhile, in KUALA NERUS, Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said the new party would not jeopardise Bersatu’s struggle.

“I cannot see the direction of its (new party) struggle,” he told a press conference after launching the Terengganu Bersatu Divisional meeting here. - BERNAMA