Sometimes a minister can overrule decisions made by officials - Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has defended Home Minister, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail’s decision to grant exemption to Umno regarding the provisions of the Organisations Act 1966 to allow the posts of president and deputy president not to be contested.

He said the provisions of the law empower the Registration of Organisations Department (RoS) to submit a matter to the relevant minister.

Anwar further said as the Prime Minister and Finance Minister, he has also cancelled decisions made by civil servants before.

"In the Prime Minister's Department, there are times when I override (overcome) decisions.

"For example, previously officials were instructed to award contracts through direct negotiation, I overruled (that decision) because I think it is better that we use the tender process to be more transparent," he told reporters after officiating the 2023 Kuala Lumpur Garden Festival here on Thursday.

Anwar said this when asked if Saifuddin overrode the RoS decision regarding the matter.

It was reported earlier that Umno has been granted an exemption from compliance to the Societies Act 1966, thus validating the motion passed by its last general assembly to not open its top two positions for contest in the upcoming party elections.

In a statement Saifuddin had said that the exemption was granted under Section 70 of the Societies Act of 1966.

Section 70 can provide disretion to the minister to exempt any registered society from all or any of the Act's restrictions.