PUTRAJAYA, Dec 13 — The Registrar of Societies (RoS) has been instructed to prepare a report on the non-compliance of associations, including their involvement in illicit activities, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

He said the Cabinet today ordered the Home Ministry to provide an initial report on the non-compliance following an incident involving an association that has been accused of misusing public donations.

"We will prepare and present (the report) to the Cabinet in the first quarter of next year as instructed,” he told reporters, after the presentation of the Pertubuhan Prihatin Komuniti Grant (GPPK) 2023 here, today, which was also attended by RoS director Datuk Mohd Zulfikar Ahmad.

Saifuddin Nasution said RoS was also ordered to carry out random monitoring on registered associations starting next year to ensure compliance with the Societies Act 1966 and as a precautionary measure to prevent registered societies from being used as a platform for unlawful activities such as money laundering or funding activities that threaten security.

According to Saifuddin Nasution, a total of 54,642 organisations have been deregistered since 1966.

He said RoS has been implementing a rigorous screening process for registration applications for the past three years to ensure registered associations carry out beneficial activities for the members and show high compliance with the law.

Meanwhile, Mohd Zulfikar said RoS has conducted checks on 1,118 registered associations as of December 10, covering four categories namely religion, recreational, welfare and social.

"Out of the number, a total of 26 per cent of the societies, were found to have breached the laws governing the formation or the constitution of the association,” he said.

On GPPK, Mohd Zulfikar said it was an initiative approved in Budget 2023 where the government allocated RM20 million to registered associations under the social category and residents sub-category. — Bernama