The three Parti Keadilan Rakyat (Keadilan) leaders who were barred from contesting in the March 21 general election seek to challenge the Election Commission's decision in the High Court tomorrow.

The trio - vice-president Mohd Azmin Ali, Youth chief Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor and Wanita deputy chief Irene Fernandez - will ask the court to determine whether they are qualified to be candidates.

"Our lawyers will submit our application, together with a certificate of urgency, in seeking the court's interpretation of the federal constitution's article 48," Azmin told malaysiakini .

Law ambiguous

Article 48 of the constitution disqualified an individual from being a parliamentarian if the person was convicted of an offence and sentenced to a jail term of more than a year or a fine of more than RM2,000.

However, the law is ambiguous on the status of candidates whose appeals are still pending in court.

Azmin, who is also Hulu Kelang state assemblyperson expressed hope that the court could expedite in delivering a verdict on the matter before nomination day this Saturday.

The three politicians had earlier vowed that despite the EC's disqualifications, they intended to file their names as candidates on nomination day.

But this will open the opportunity for ruling Barisan Nasional candidates to steal a walk-over given that the returning officers would most likely disqualify their candidacies.

"We won't allow the BN to win without any contender," Azmin said, but he declined to elaborate further.

Azmin is currently appealing against a perjury charge while Ezam and Fernandez are battling against their convictions under the Official Secrets Act and for publishing false news respectively.

Azmin was expected to defend his state seat and contest for the Bandar Tun Razak parliamentary seat, while Fernandez was expected to stand in the Sidam state seat in Kedah.

Meanwhile, Ezam was expected to contest in the Pekan parliamentary seat against Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, and either the Kota Anggerik or Batu Tiga state seat in Shah Alam.

Keadilan was informed of the disqualification through a letter from the commission on Wednesday.

Last year, commission chairperson Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said the trio could contest so long as they were granted a stay of execution pending appeal.

However, he said on Wednesday that was a "general interpretation" and it was done without consulting the legal department.

Protest convoy

On Friday night, more than 1,000 supporters gathered outside Azmin's office in Hulu Kelang for a ceramah (public talk) which lasted for about three hours, despite that the event was only publicised a day earlier.

Among present were Keadilan deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali, Wanita chief Fuziah Salleh, Fernandez and PAS central committee member Dr Hatta Ramli.

Hatta will be contesting in the Gombak parliamentary seat, which Hulu Kelang is one of the three state seats in the constituency.

The following morning, a number of supporters left in a convoy of some 40 cars to stage a five-hour protest against the EC's decision around Kuala Lumpur.

When the convoy entered the northwest suburb of Selayang, the police blocked the cars and told the drivers to disperse, citing that they did not possess a permit for the protest.

The drivers were also ordered to remove their flags and posters from their cars. The convoy however pressed on with their journey.

"The permit is needed only for a rally but the cars were constantly on the move. The logic is simple - if the BN is strong, they don't need to harass us by using the police in such a way," said Azmin when met at his office after the convoy had completed its journey.