The Registrar of Societies (RoS) Department agrees with the appointment of an independent body by the DAP to conduct the party's re-election of the Central Executive Committee (CEC).

Its director-general, Datuk Mohammad Razin Abdullah said the DAP had appointed the United States-based independent audit firm, Grant Thornton, for the party's CEC re-election, on Nov 12.

"We have replied to the DAP that we agreed with for the independent body appointment and it is depends on DAP for the CEC re-election," he said.

Mohammad Razin told reporters after the handing over ceremony of grants to resident associations in Penang by Deputy Foreign Minister and Kepala Batas Member of Parliament, Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, at Millennium Hall, here on Saturday.

Before this, it is understood that DAP had appointed an independent audit firm, PKF Consulting for re-election of the CEC.

However, the appointment of the firm as an independent observer was objected by the party's representative members who are eligible to vote because the firm was personally elected by the invalid DAP leaders, and it could lead to the suspicious elements of the re-election.

On Oct 3, DAP secretary-general, Lim Guan Eng said they were preparing documents in relation to the directive of the RoS that the party conduct a re-election of the CEC, and a press conference will be held at the party's headquarters in Kuala Lumpur soon.

On July 17, the DAP received a letter from the RoS that directed the party to hold a re-election of the CEC since the organisation did not receive and acknowledge the result of DAP's election on Dec 15, 2012 and re-election on Sept 29, 2013

Earlier, in his speech, Mohammad Razin said a total of 2,357 associations in the state had been cancelled as of September for breaching the Societies Act 1966 and the organisation rules.

There are some 4,870 active organisations in Penang.

-- BERNAMA