COMMENT | When Umno was declared illegal by the High Court ruling of justice Harun Hashim on Feb 4, 1988, two former prime ministers - Tengku Abdul Rahman, our father of independence and Tun Hussein Onn, our third Prime Minister - tried to register a party called Umno Malaysia.

The Registrar of Society (ROS) which is under the home minister then rejected Umno Malaysia but allowed another party applied by the sitting prime minister on Feb 13, 1988, called Umno Baru to be registered. Yes, Dr Mahathir Mohamad was both prime minister and the home minister then, and ROS was under his ministry.