The much-anticipated poll to end the four-year leadership battle in the National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) has been delayed by a week. The new date is July 17.

In a landmark decision on April 20, the Court of Appeal overturned a High Court decision to order the Director-General of Trade Union (DGTU) to hold fresh polls by August.

In announcing the change of dates at an impromptu press conference yesterday, DGTU Mohd Zubir Mohd Basri said the delay was unavoidable as the membership list meant for the polls had to be prepared manually.

"We could not prepare the list on time for the earlier date of July 10 due to technical problems in getting the correct list with the cut-off point of Oct 31, 2001," he said, adding that it was only available in a diskette.

"We had to key in the information of 25,521 members who were registered as at that date because the union had no copy by the year or branch, having been automatically updated since 2001."

Mohd Zubir said NUBE members were only listed by the banks they were employed in instead of by the respective branches.

"Now, the membership data is in our system. This is why I decided to call for a last-minute press conference yesterday," he added.

Nomination dates

The nine branches are Ipoh, Johor Baru, Alor Star, Klang, Kuala Lumpur, Kuantan, Kota Baru, Georgetown and Seremban.

Nomination of candidates for committee members and delegates at the branch level and national leaders will be held on June 24 and 25.

The previous election date for the branch committee and principal office-bearers were June 22 and Aug 7 respectively.

A public notification of the changes will be published on June 15 in English-language daily New Straits Times and its Malay-language counterpart Berita Harian .

Mohd Zubir said NUBE members can check their eligibility status between June 16 and 22 at the Department of Trade Union Affairs or head to the nearest Labour Department office on June 16, 17, 20 and 21 during government office hours.

"They must bring along their identity cards, the salary slip for either August, September or October 2001 and their membership number for reference," he said.

"Alternatively, they can check for election-related details at the Human Resources Ministry website ."

Members can also get the nomination papers from the above-mentioned premises at the same time.

The DGTU said election details will also be displayed on the ministry website and at the trade union and labour department offices as well as in member banks of the Malayan Commercial Banks Association.

But these changes has drawn the ire of a few NUBE members aligned to Abdul Jalil Abdul Hamid's group.

Timing questioned

When met late yesterday, a group of them questioned the suddenness and timing of the announcement.

"The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) is supposed to monitor the polls process but appeared to be in the dark about the press conference," said one, requesting anonymity.

"It was called in the 11th hour and at a time when both the top MTUC leaders were abroad. Yes, it could be pure coincidence but I have my doubts," said another.

"How is it that the MTUC did not know or was not told about the change in dates?" he asked.

The MTUC has previously protested the DGTU's slow progress towards the NUBE polls.

The members were also concerned over allegedly dirty campaign methods employed by the rival group led by Muhammad Fauzi Shamsuddin, which they claim was playing up racial and political sentiments to gain support.

Politicians not barred

Contacted today, Mohd Zubir said the Trade Unions Act 1959 (TUA) did not stipulate conditions over campaigning or barring politicians from contesting.

"There are no conditions on the nomination papers barring anyone from campaigning but parties must follow the NUBE constitution for the polls," he explained.

"I cannot stop anyone from campaigning but they must be within the law."

The DGTU said the only mention of party politics in a trade union election was under Section 28 of TUA which bars office-bearers of political parties from contesting in union elections.

"Ordinary members including branch leaders can stand for union elections."

The MTUC, Abdul Jalil Abdul Hamid, J Solomon, whose shocking removal in October 2001 sparked off the leadership controversy, Mohamed Fauzi and Mohd Noor Basir could not be reached for comment.