KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 13): Perikatan Nasional (PN) will continue to be grounded following a court decision on Tuesday, though the coalition has been allowed to challenge the suspension.

High Court judge Datuk Azizan Arshad said he could not grant an interim stay against the suspension at this stage after considering a Court of Appeal decision in the “Kaisar Maxim” case submitted by the Registrar of Societies.

“As far as we are concerned, this court is bound by that decision,” he said, siding with the Attorney General’s Chambers that an interim stay cannot be granted “at this stage”.

PN is seeking to quash notices issued by the government agency under Sections 13(2) and 13(2A) of the Societies Act 1966.

Section 13(2) requires PN to explain its actions within 30 days or be deregistered. The Section 13(2A) notice informs PN that it must suspend its activities until it has responded to the matter. 

Azizan set October 22 to hear further arguments from both parties on the application to stay the suspension. If not lifted, PN cannot use its logo in the upcoming Melaka state polls on Oct 31. 

However, Azizan is granting PN’s application to seek judicial review on the registrar’s actions as the conditions were met.

“We allow the judicial review application of the applicant (PN),” the judge said. He also said that the matters argued in court on Tuesday by both sets of lawyers need to be ventilated fully during the judicial review.