KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 — Parti Aspirasi Sains Malaysia (SAINS) today lashed out at the Registrar of Societies (RoS) for rejecting its application to formally register as a political party in Malaysia, seven months after filing. 

Party secretary-general Afiq Harraz said it received an official email of the rejection from RoS two days ago, but claimed no valid reason was given.

"SAINS, in no uncertain terms, strongly denounces RoS’s decision to reject our application without providing any valid reason. 

"SAINS will file an appeal with RoS against this decision and we hope that the decision on the appeal would be made and informed to us as soon as possible,” said Afiq in a statement.

He added that the party’s central executive body will pursue legal action if its appeal to register as a political group is rejected again, and cited Article 10(1)(c) of the Federal Constitution on the right to freedom of association.

SAINS was initially a creation on Twitter as a satirical counterpoint to Islamist party PAS in 2021, but got serious when it decided to register as a political party in June last year. 

Its pro-tem president and founder Kenneth Chai told Malay Mail in an interview last June that while the party started as a parody to PAS, it is seeking to offer Malaysian voters an alternative in future elections to build an anti-poverty nation, a human-centred economy and sustainable development.