Registrar of Societies deregisters Perikatan Nasional as Melaka polls loom

Thursday 12 Nov 2026

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KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 20): Perikatan Nasional was deregistered by the Registrar of Societies on Tuesday, throwing a spanner in the coalition's election machinery ahead of the Nov 14 Melaka polls.

The regulator in a statement cited PN's inadequate response to a show-cause notice issued last month, which asked the bloc to explain why it did not invite component party Bersatu to the coalition’s supreme council meeting on July 16.

“In this regard, the Registrar of Societies has decided to cancel the registration of Perikatan Nasional” under subparagraph 13(1)(c)(iv) of the Societies Act 1966, the statement read.

However, Under Section 18 of the Societies Act 1966 (Act 832), PN has 30 days to appeal the registrar’s decision to the home minister.

The Sept 22 show-cause notice was issued following a complaint lodged by Bersatu, the once dominant party in PN that is now at loggerheads with Pas over the direction of the coalition.

Apart from the show-cause notice, PN was also told to suspend its activities.

The suspension means PN cannot use its logo during the Melaka polls, but component parties may use their existing symbols.

PN had sought to quash the RoS notices in court. On Oct 13, the High Court allowed the coalition to challenge the suspension but declined PN's request for a stay.

The judicial review application was filed by PN and Pas secretary general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, as well as his component party counterparts Wong Chia Zhen of Gerakan, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah of Wawasan, and Datuk Sazmi Miah of Pejuang.

Wawasan and Pejuang comprise former Bersatu leaders who split with the party over political differences.

Bersatu itself is a splinter group of Umno, which has seen closer and fruitful ties with a Pas-led PN in recent state elections.

In the Johor polls in July, PN did not contest seats that Umno-led Barisan Nasional was vying for, leading to a consolidation of Malay votes that resulted in a thumping BN win.

The BN-PN cooperation was continued in the following month's Negeri Sembilan polls.

Alliances for the Melaka election, however, are still up in the air. All the major coalitions, including Pakatan Harapan, have indicated they are open to working with any party, but there is talk that PH is looking into an alliance with Bersatu to counter a strengthening PN-BH front.

PN’s deregistration over internal disputes is not unprecedented. The most recent being the People’s Progressive Party (myPPP), which was deregistered in January 2019 following a leadership feud before being re-registered in 2023.

Umno was declared illegal by the High Court on Feb 4, 1988, over unregistered branches. Then prime minister and Umno president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad then registered Umno Baru on Feb 13, 1988. The party eventually dropped "Baru" and reverted to the original name.

Edited ByJason Ng

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