A member of the National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) today filed a suit against the union's Kuala Lumpur branch ex-officials for overspending more than RM65,000 in relation to its controversial annual dinner last year.

NUBE Kuala Lumpur president Poon Kai Chong has sued Toh Seng Hock, Prathiba Raj a/l Arunasalam and Sivanesan a/l S Selladurai who he claimed had overspent a total of RM65,974.64 belonging to the members for its annual dinner and dance, held on Dec 29, 2001.

Toh, Prathiba Raj and Sivanesan were the branch's former president, secretary and treasurer respectively. The suit was filed at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

In a press statement, NUBE president Abdul Jalil Abdul Hamid said the union's executive councillors and its general secretary J Solomon supported the suit as it is in the union's interest that the wrongfully spent fund be recovered.

He also said that the complaint filed by Poon was also in pursuant to the 1959 Trades Union Act.

No prior approval

In the suit, Poh claimed that the three, who were in charge of the branch's funds, had increased the spending budget without obtaining appropriate prior approval as required by the NUBE Rules and Constitution and its accounting guidelines.

He also asked the court to order the three to return the excessive amount spent to the branch's fund under Section 60 of the Trade Union Act 1959, with a four percent interest from Dec 29, 2001 until the date of decision.

Poh, a clerk at Citibank (M) Bhd, said in his affidavit that the total expenses for the dinner had amounted to RM136,547.64 when the original maximum budget for the function was only RM46,000.

He also said that the union had only managed to raise RM24,000 from the sale of tickets and donations to support the event, which was held at Sunway Lagoon Resort and Hotel in Petaling Jaya.

An investigation by the union's then general secretary Sandraga a/l Joseph Pitchay revealed that the branch had failed to adhere to the guidelines and did not obtain the approval of the union's national executive committee before spending the money, he added.

No dates have been set as to when the case will be mentioned in court. The defendants have yet to reply to the allegations made by Poh.