The on-going crisis between the two Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) leaders has deepened with supporters of both factions now preparing to face each other over a no-confidence move against president Zainal Rampak.

Supporters of Zainal, a senator and ex-DAP-now-Umno member, appear to be so confident that they plan to write to MTUC secretary-general G Rajasekaran to call for an emergency general meeting (EGM) to resolve the issue.

At the EGM, the general council the congress' highest decision-making body can vote, after tabling the motion and debating it, on who should helm the umbrella union.

Malaysian Technical Services Union secretary-general Samuel Devadason said Zainal's supporters expect a bitter fight as "there are people who are eager to become president and deputy president".

"But we are willing to face them as we are confident that the general council would want Zainal to remain as president," he told malaysiakini .

"In fact, we are in the midst of lobbying all our supporters so that we can influence the general council's decision."

No-confidence move

Samuel's comment was in response to the Club Employees Union of Malaysia's decision to move a no-confidence motion against Zainal at the next general council meeting.

Zainal allegedly made an agreement to resign as president with his deputy Mohamed Shafie BP Mammal (photo) prior to the MTUC triennial election last March. He had promised to serve only a third of a term if Mohd Shafie who is National Union of Telecom Employees president did not contest the top post.

Mohd Shafie claimed he vied only for the deputy's post according to the terms of what he described as a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between them.

Zainal, however, reneged on the promise and said it was common for candidates to come up with such pacts as an election strategy. He also claimed that the document was not an MOU but a joint press statement signed by the duo.

Samuel said the proposal for an EGM would be a measure of last resort if the mediation talks to be chaired later this month by Cuepecs president N Siva Subramaniam fail to end the crisis.

Siva had offered to mediate after the Human Resources Ministry threatened to step in if the feud escalated.

Supporters of both factions also want the matter to be resolved by the two leader, as both of them are "gentlemen and not children".

Not neutral

Meanwhile, Rajasekaran who had vowed to remain neutral in the feud, was told by Zainal's supporters on Sunday to stay out of the mediation talks as they doubt his credibility and neutrality.

"Whatever remarks I have made in the press were in the best interests of the MTUC. I am not in support of anyone," Rajasekaran responded.

"Zainal's supporters have made wild statements against me but I am not going to respond to them. I leave it to them."

On the motion of no confidence, Rajasekaran said he had not received any document from either faction yet.

A senior unionist, who declined to be named, said he was withdrawing his support for Zainal because of his (Zainal's) supporters' conduct.

"The man (Rajasekaran) is sincere and all he wanted was to resolve the issue. They are wrong in asking him to stay out of the mediation meeting and for questioning his credibility," he told malaysiakini . "Such statements bring further disrepute to MTUC."

MTUC is the country's biggest workers' movement with 550,000 members from 230 affiliate unions.