Concerns over potential illegal activities involving certain societies and associations have led to a request from the Cabinet for a report on those found to have violated the law, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
Saifuddin said that the issue was discussed at length at a recent Cabinet meeting after being raised by some ministers.
After the discussion, the Cabinet asked the Home Ministry to compile a report listing associations and societies found to have breached the law, which will be presented in the first quarter of next year, he told reporters at an event on Wednesday (Dec 13).
According to Registrar of Societies (ROS) records, more than 54,000 groups have been deregistered for various reasons, such as failure to submit annual reports, although these figures date back to 1966. Saifuddin has requested more recent statistics on deregistrations from ROS.
Saifuddin also disclosed that he had instructed ROS to conduct random checks on societies to ensure compliance with their charters and the Societies Act 1966.
He clarified that the purpose of these checks was to prevent societies from being used for illegal activities such as money laundering or posing a threat to safety.
Furthermore, Saifuddin emphasized the mandatory submission of annual and financial reports as well as minutes of annual general meetings for societies, noting a significant level of non-compliance.
He added that ROS has been stringent in enforcing these requirements, issuing warning letters to societies failing to submit annual reports and deregistering those who fail to respond. Individuals holding positions in deregistered societies will be blacklisted and unable to hold posts in any other association.
