The Kuala Lumpur High Court has granted an inter-parte injunction against three Malaysian Malay Chamber of Commerce (DPMM) senior office-bearers including its president Syed Ali Al-Attas following claims that the chamber’s 2010 election results were irregular.

NONE The injunction granted by Justice John Louis O Hara prevents and prohibits Syed Ali ( left ), its secretary-general Hanafee Yusoff and treasurer-general Norsyahrin Hamid Hamidon from doing any action, or making any decisions on matters related to the DPMM until the final decision of the court.

“The order also allows the maintenance of the status quo regarding the office-bearers of the states who had been deposed by Syed Ali and his group,” the order said.

O’ Hara also fixed Nov 8 as the hearing date for the suit as he found that there are issues to be heard in a trial.

With this, questions arise over the organisation of a DPMM function at the Putra World Trade Centre this afternoon where former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been invited as a speaker.

Among the plaintiffs in the suit who had been deposed was Selangor branch president Rozali Ismail, who is also Syabas and Puas chairperson.

Besides Rozali, the other chairpersons and secretaries of the state branches of Selangor, Malacca, Terengganu, Pahang, Perak and Negri Sembilan are also involved in the originating summons action against DPMM.

They claimed that the 2010 DPMM election was rigged, with manipulation done by the secretary-general.

The group are seeking a declaration that the office bearers from 2010 to 2013 are not in accordance with its rules and hence it should be declared invalid. They also wanted any decision made in the June 26, 2010 annual general meeting (AGM) be declared null and void and that a new extraordinary general meeting (EGM) be called within 30 days if the decision falls in their favour. 

‘Illegal manoeuvres’

Although the group not supporting Syed Ali did not take further action, they claimed that Syed Ali took inappropriate actions including suspending the Perak chamber chapter, cancelling the Terengganu DPMM AGM, and sacking five state chairpersons including Rozali.

The others given the boot were Ramly Mohamed (Malaccaa), Ahmad Yusuf (Negri Sembilan) Tengku Ismail Tengku Jaafar (Terengganu) and Tengku Zulkifli Tengku Ahmad (Pahang) on questionable charges.

The group also claimed that the Terengganu, Selangor and Perak DPMM chapters had been dissolved and proxies for the current president had been appointed. They also alleged that they had tried to call for an EGM to take action on the three but this was halted by Syed Ali’s group.

They pointed out that several decisions by the DPMM office-bearers has affected the chamber’s credibility, among them paying a fixed allowance to the secretary-general which is against the DPMM constitution and the Registrar of Societies Act 1948.

The lead counsel for the plaintiffs was Ahmad Nazri Ibrahim.

Ahmad Nazri warned they will consider filing an application for committal if the three continue to ignore the court order.