(From left) Chin and Hanim are seen with fellow S4S activist Eric Leong at the press conference.
MIRI: The Sarawak for Sarawakians (S4S) movement plans to be registered as a political party next month.
S4S spokesperson Hanim Jaraee told a press conference yesterday that this follows advice from the Registrar of Societies (RoS).
“This will bring S4S to greater heights to improve the awareness of autonomy and form a third force,” she said.
She pointed out that S4S had previously attempted to register as a political party in 2015.
“Actually S4S before this was trying to apply from RoS in BN’s (Barisan Nasional) time but it was rejected. Their (RoS) excuse was that S4S was only a slogan.
“But now, with the spirit of Malaysia Baru, we are trying to apply again and hope that the Pakatan Harapan government will allow our application,” she said.
She also said that at present S4S does not have an organisational structure or office, although it has organised large events.
“We and our members know about the Peaceful Assembly Act, where any organisation or individuals have rights and are free to assemble,” she said.
“People have tainted us as an illegal movement but in a democratic country, everyone has the right to voice out their expressions towards issues that are very important to society.”
Last Friday, S4S spokesman Erick Chin had equated S4S to the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), which is not registered with RoS.
He also said RoS Sarawak director Georgina Apphia Ngau’s statement that S4S was not a political party indirectly helped the movement clarify previous accusations thrown against it by certain individuals or political parties.
Georgina had stressed that the registration of all non-governmental organisations (NGOs) is stipulated under the Societies Act 1966 and quoted Section 2 of the Act, which states “society includes any club, company, partnership, or association of seven or more persons whatever its nature or object, whether temporary or permanent”.