Malaysian Opposition can contest under PKR logo

Petaling Jaya

MALAYSIA'S Election Commission (EC) has clarified that it has no objections to the Opposition's wish to use the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) logo for the general election.

The Star online news reported the EC as saying that the permission for any candidate to contest under the PKR ticket and to use its logo is under the jurisdiction of PKR and not the EC.

This means that candidates from all four Pakatan Harapan parties, PKR, DAP, Parti Amanah Negara and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) are free to contest under the PKR banner.

"However, for the purpose of contesting in GE14, political parties must be parties that are registered and allowed to carry out its activities under the Societies Act 1966."

The year-old PPBM party of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad had been told by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) on April 6 to suspend its activities, and not use its logo for the next 30 days. The ROS said PPBM has failed to fulfil the registrar's notice requesting documents and details regarding its annual general meeting that was held in December last year.

EC chairman Mohd Hashim Abdullah said that parties planning to use the PKR logo must produce written authority from a PKR official. He added this is provided for under Regulation 11(2)(d) of the Election (Conduct of Elections) Regulations 1981.

Mr Mohd Hashim explained that for any candidate who did not obtain the written authority from the party that he or she wants to represent and if that candidate is eligible to contest, the returning officer will allocate an existing symbol for the candidate that has been set as a replacement.

He stressed that as long as the rules were adhered to, an individual is eligible to represent any party that has given such written authority.