The National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) was today allowed by the Court of Appeal to file an application to cite the Trades Union department head and the union's former general treasurer for contempt.

The leave, granted ex-parte by Justice Gopal Sri Ram to NUBE general secretary J Solomon, was for the alleged failure of Trades Union director-general Izhar Harun and former union general treasurer Mohd Noor Basir to comply with a court order.

The Court of Appeal had on May 8 and 16 allowed Solomon to continue in office until a further order was issued.

However, Solomon has alleged that the two failed to comply with the court order.

Despite the court order, Trades Union director-general Izhar was accused by NUBE for giving recognition to a rival leadership in the union, while ex-union general treasurer Mohd Noor was alleged to have continued to act as a union representative.

The union has two weeks to file the contempt proceedings.

On May 31, about 300 union members staged a 15-minute protest against 'external interferences' in the union's factional feud outside their headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

The latest in a series of problems afflicting the NUBE began soon after Solomon and the leader of the rival team, Muhammad Fauzi Shamsuddin — who is the union's former deputy president — submitted two different leadership lists to Izhar for endorsement.

No reason for decision

Last week, Izhar had issued a letter accepting Fauzi's team as the legitimate union office-bearers. However, no reason was given for his decision.

In a press statement issued today, NUBE president Abdul Jalil Abdul Hamid said despite a request by NUBE, Izhar has refused to withdraw the controversial letter.

"He is claiming that since he was not a party to the legal proceedings and not named in the court orders, he was not bound by them," he said.

The union president also accused Mohd Noor and his faction of misrepresenting themselves.

"According to Solomon's supporting affidavit, Mohd Noor was in contempt of the court orders as he had held himself out and conducted business as the union's general secretary." he said, adding that the rival faction had even held an executive council meeting thereafter.

None of the rival faction members could be reached for comment.