KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Trades Union Congress’ (MTUC) controversial triennial delegates’ conference (TDC) tomorrow will be going ahead as the Shah Alam High Court has dismissed an application to halt the event.
Judge Khadijah Idris dismissed the application with costs, paving the way for the two-day conference to go on as scheduled, reported Free Malaysia Today.
Lawyer Ashrul Ashri, representing immediate past president Datuk Abdul Halim Mansor, was quoted as saying that the judge cited the Rules of the Court 2012 which states that an ex-parte injunction cannot be granted to prevent the meeting of any registered society.
On Tuesday, Halim filed the injunction to stop the conference, claiming that the current MTUC leadership had not adhered to requirements set by the MTUC constitution before calling for the conference.
He said MTUC failed to obtain an approval letter from the registrar to bring forward the conference, adding that it should have been called between October and December of the third year of any three-year term.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is slated to officiate the event on Saturday, amid a possible planned protest against proposed amendments to the Trade Unions Act 1959.
Speaking to The Vibes, Halim said the court had advised him to instead file for a declaration that the conference is null and void after the event is done with this weekend.
“I will do as the court advised after the event is completed. I will also seek a declaration that the previous meetings called for by the current leadership are against the MTUC constitution.”
Meanwhile, MTUC secretary-general Kamarul Baharin Mansor told The Vibes that the court’s decision would be respected, adding that the upcoming TDC will provide delegates with a chance to choose the next MTUC figureheads.
“Halim exercised his right as an MTUC member to head to the courts but the conference will be going ahead and delegates there will be able to vote for their preferred leaders.”
Earlier today, MTUC general council member A. Sivananthan labelled the TDC as being an “illegal convention” and accused office bearers of having violated several provisions in the congress’ constitution.
Besides urging the postponement of the conference, he said if Ismail Sabri were to attend the event, it would be akin to him turning a blind eye to the supposed misconduct within the Congress. – The Vibes, July 1, 2022
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