KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin has failed to obtain the high court’s permission to initiate a judicial review to compel the Registrar of Societies (RoS) to recognise her as Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) president.
Judge Datuk Amarjeet Singh dismissed the former Ampang MP’s application on the grounds that according to Section 18C of the Societies Act 1966, the court cannot hear cases involving internal disputes of political parties.
“Based on that section, the court is also bound by the decision made by the higher court regarding the issue,” said the judge.
Present at today’s proceedings were federal counsel M. Kogilambigai and lawyer Mohamed Ashmeer Ashrof representing Zuraida.
On April 12, the Attorney-General’s Chambers had objected to Zuraida’s application by arguing that decisions involving a party are final and cannot be challenged, appealed or questioned by the court.
Zuraida, 65, who filed the application on March 24, naming the RoS as the sole respondent, sought a declaration that that the RoS’ action to retain Datuk Larry Soon @ Larry Sng Wei Shen as PBM president was unlawful, and a mandamus order to compel the RoS to recognise her as PBM’s rightful president effective October 7, 2022.
Zuraida, in her supporting affidavit, said she received a letter from PBM on October 27, 2022, informing her about her appointment as PBM president.
However, Zuraida said she had received a letter from the party dated December 19 of the same year, in which Soon declared himself as PBM president and suspended her membership.
The former plantation industries and commodities minister said she learned of her sacking from PBM through The Star news portal on December 27, 2022, but never received any notice, letter or information from the party about it. – Bernama, June 6, 2023
