The Kuala Lumpur High Court was today told that the Selangor government and eight others have no locus standi to quash the Registrar of Societies' (ROS) decision to dissolve and deregister Balkis, the welfare and charity organisation of wives of Selangor assemblypersons and members of parliament.

Senior federal counsel Azizah Nawawi, representing ROS, told the media that the nine applicants were only challenging the ROS' decision on the basis that they have sufficient personal interest over the decision because of the direct and indirect funds they have contributed towards the social activities of Balkis.

The court today heard in chambers the judicial review application by 10 applicants - the Selangor government, Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim's wife Salbiah Tunut, Permodalan Negeri Selangor Berhad, Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Berhad, Selangor State Development Corporation, Worldwide Holdings Berhad, Selangor Industrial Corporation Sdn Bhd, Selaman Sdn Bhd, PKNS Infra Berhad and PKNS Engineering & Construction Bhd - to challenge the decision of the ROS.

"Therefore, we submitted that the applicants, except for Puan Sri Salbiah, by just being financial contributors to Balkis, have failed to establish their legal rights and as such, have no locus standi to receive any orders from the court over the dissolution and deregistration of Balkis," she said.

Counsel Derek Fernandez and S Selvarajah told reporters that they had submitted that the notice to dissolve Balkis had never been mentioned on the meeting agenda during the meeting to dissolve the association.

Fernandez also said under the law the home minister can exempt the dissolution of Balkis but in this case, he said, the minister had done this in retrospect, which was issuing the exemption after the dissolution was done.

He said the ROS deregistered Balkis on Feb 11, 2009 but the exemption letter was dated March 20, 2009.

Fernandez also said that judge Rohana Yusuf is scheduled to give the decision by Nov 30.

Balkis made the headlines after Abdul Khalid alleged that there had been misappropriation of Balkis' funds under its previous president Zaharah Kechik, the wife of former Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo.

In the application, they are seeking among others an order to quash the ROS decision and a declaration that the decision is illegal, null and void. They also seek the reinstatement of the organisation.

- Bernama