Terengganu Umno member Aizat Fikri Nasir Fikri voiced concern over the home ministry exempting the party from complying with a section in the Societies Act 1966, saying such exemptions could be abused in the event of irregularities in a party.

He added that this exemption indirectly confirmed that there were irregularities in the tabling of the no-contest motion during Umno’s general assembly in January.

Aizat expressed disappointment with the home ministry’s decision, claiming that it was using its powers to ensure that the posts of Umno president and deputy president would not be contested in the party’s polls on March 18.

“I ask the prime minister to take this issue seriously because it can tarnish the credibility of the government he leads.

“I will discuss the matter with (Negeri Sembilan Umno member) Fiqri Firdaus and our lawyers in considering a judicial review of the RoS decision,” he said in a statement.

It had been reported that the RoS was investigating a possible violation of the party’s constitution after the motion was approved at Umno’s general assembly in January.

On Saturday, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the RoS had cleared Umno of wrongdoing over the no-contest motion, in a letter to the party’s secretary-general

He added that the RoS letter would be made public to put an end to any disputes on the matter.