THE Kuala Lumpur High Court today ruled that Syed Hussein Alhabshee is the rightful president of Malay Chamber of Commerce Malaysia (DPMM).

Justice Mariana Yahaya made the ruling after endorsing a notice by the Registrar of Societies (RoS) to validate the dismissal of DPMM president Rizal Faris Mohideen Abdul Kader.

The September 4 notice said Rizal’s dismissal is effective November 22 last year following the decision reached during an extraordinary general meeting called by 18 DPMM members.

The notice said all decisions made at the commerce chamber’s annual general meeting (AGM) later that day are invalid. This includes Rizal’s claim to the presidency and the revocation of the 18 memberships. 

The notice also said that a subsequent AGM on June 15, in which Syed Hussein was elected president, is valid, as well as all decisions originating from it.

RoS ordered the business group to suspend all activities from July 31 for breaching its own constitution and unlawfully terminating a member.

Internal problems have plagued DPMM after 18 of its members, including Syed Hussein, were accused of illegally using the organisation’s name.

DPMM was also under the scanner for allegedly receiving RM5 million from the former Prime Minister’s Department purportedly for a national entrepreneurship programme.

The fund was allegedly funnelled to the DPMM’s Penang Foundation then chaired by Rizal.

Syed Hussein and 17 others then commenced legal action against Rizal over the RM5 million.

Rizal has denied allegations that his faction misappropriated the money. He said the funds were allocated to the development of an e-commerce app called Go 4.0

DPMM deputy president Fauzi Hassan told reporters outside the court today that nine individuals in Rizal’s faction, including Rizal and secretary-general Don Nazwim Don Najib, are no longer members of the Malay business body.

“They can no longer carry out chamber duties,” he said.

Their lawyer Balan Nair Thamodaran meanwhile said the issue of who are the rightful office-bearers has been resolved. 

Syed Hussein’s group entered into a consent judgment with RoS today after Rizal failed to address a show cause letter from RoS.

The DPMM executive board will now manage the Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Kelantan, Sabah and Labuan chapters as their respective line-ups have been suspended.

DPMM has also pledged to recover all the money that was allegedly misappropriated. – September 5, 2019.