With regards to your report NUBE polls: Question hangs over sacked unionists , former National Union of Banking Employees official J Solomon was quoted as saying, '... sacked members could still contest because we're still workmen'.

"Until the dispute over the dismissal is resolved, either with the employer or through the Industrial Court, nothing bars a member from standing for election. This is not an issue," he was further quoted as saying.

It is rather ludicrous to note that sacked employees of NUBE are standing for the forthcoming elections. How can they be employees when they are no longer even employees of their respective banks? Solomon himself was sacked by Bumiputera-Commerce Bank on April 29.

Even if the union's constitution states that sacked employees can continue to hold office until their dismissals are resolved by either the employer or the Industrial Court, they cannot operate as a legal entity as they run contrary to statutory laws such as the Industrial Relations Act 1967 and the Trade Unions Act 1959.

The Director-General of Trade Unions (DGTU) should disqualify sacked or dismissed employees from contesting the forthcoming NUBE elections otherwise which there is a great possibility of legal battles looming in the judicial courts on the legitimacy of these dismissed employees if they are elected.

The DGTU is advised to exercise his wide discretionary powers in accordance with the laws of the country and disqualify those dismissed employees from contesting the elections.