Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s new youth party, Malaysia United Democratic Alliance (Muda), has denied allegations that it stole a youth organisation’s identity.
Yesterday, Johor-based civil society Muda! slammed Syed Saddiq for purportedly stealing its identity for his new youth party.
Muda! claimed it was registered with the Registrar of Societies (RoS).
However, a source within the Muda party told The Malaysian Insight that no other organisation with the same name has been registered besides the new youth party.
“We already checked with RoS and they told us none is registered like us,” the source said.
A letter that was circulated on Twitter showed that Muda! – short for Millennial Union Democratic Alliance – was named as Pertubuhan Aktivis Negeri Johor.
A search by The Malaysian Insight on RoS’ website also found no organisation or party registered as Muda!
Instead, Pertubuhan Aktivis Negeri Johor was registered with RoS, the search showed.
However, Syed Saddiq’s party source did not comment on the similarities of its logo with Muda!
Muda!’s founder Onn Mahathir told Malaysiakini today that his group had been around since 2018.
Onn said he does not mind Syed Saddiq forming a new youth party, but he urged the former Bersatu youth chief to change his party’s identity so as not to confuse the public.
“We don’t oppose his idea of forming a new youth party. That’s up to him.
“It’s just that we think he has run out of ideas as both identities are similar,” Onn said.
Onn said Syed Saddiq should come up with a fresh idea.
“When he was with Bersatu, he did not even use ‘youth wing’ but rather ‘Armada’.
“If he really celebrates the youth’s voice, please change the party’s identity,” he said.
Onn said he first noticed the similarity when he saw Syed Saddiq in Sabah wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the word “Muda”.
However, he said efforts to get Syed Saddiq to respond to the matter has fallen on deaf ears.
“He did not respond to our concerns on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.”
Onn said the Muda! movement has been around for quite some time and has organised numerous activities, which makes it impossible for the Muar MP not to have heard about them.
The new youth party, Muda, will be youth-led, multi-racial and multi-religious. – TMI