KUALA LUMPUR: Hindraf co-founder P Waytha Moorthy today filed a challenge against the government over its decision to deregister the group.
He claimed that the Registrar of Societies’ (RoS) decision on July 15, 2019 to dissolve Hindraf was wrong in law. The home ministry subsequently upheld the deregistration on Aug 8 this year.
Waytha, a minister during the Pakatan Harapan administration, said RoS sent a letter to Hindraf last year saying it had breached the Societies Act.
“RoS told us that the central committee leadership failed to hold meetings for at least eight times a year as required under the law.
“They also said that we kept RM200 in cash, that was over the minimum amount stated under Hindraf’s constitution,” he said.
He said he responded to RoS’ letter on Sept 27, 2019 and attached evidence of their notices to call meetings and the minutes.
“Three days later, RoS issued a letter to inform us they were deregistering Hindraf.
“We lodged an appeal to the minister in October, and were told the deregistration had been upheld,” he said.
In its application, Hindraf sought a court order to revoke the decisions by RoS and the home ministry.
“The respondents’ decision breached the principles of natural justice,” it said.
Waytha also claimed the deregistration letter was not signed by the RoS director-general at the material time, and that this had contravened the Societies Act.
The High Court fixed Feb 22 to hear Hindraf’s leave application to initiate a judicial review.