THE attorney-general (AG) objects to ex-Ampang lawmaker Zuraida Kamaruddin’s application for leave to commence judicial review proceedings against the Registrar of Societies (ROS), the High Court heard today.  

The former plantation, industries and commodities minister is seeking a court declaration that she is the rightful president of Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM). 

M Kogilambigai, the federal counsel, told the court today the dispute in PBM was an internal matter and should be left with the parties to resolve. 

“The court has no jurisdiction to hear the matter due to the ouster clause in Section 18C of the Societies Act 1966,” she told Justice Amarjeet Singh as quoted by news portal Free Malaysia Today. 

However, Zuraida’s counsel Ashmeer Ashrof asserted that the dispute had been settled, as notified to the ROS on October 22 last year.  

“The ROS did not recognise her as the party president,” he said. 

Amarjeet then instructed Ashmeer to file further submissions to address the matter. 

He then fixed May 11 for further clarification and to possibly deliver his ruling. 

Judicial review applications are filed by aggrieved parties to challenge the decision-making process of public authorities for potential breaches of the rules of natural justice, the written law and the constitution. 

Under the Rules of Court 2012, an aggrieved party must get leave from the High Court before a complaint can be heard on its merits. 

A copy of the leave application must be sent to the Attorney-General’s Chambers. 

The AG, as the guardian of public interest, may object to the application. 

Zuraida, 65, filed the application through Messrs Ashmeer Ashrof on March 24, naming the ROS as the sole respondent. 

She seeks several declarations, including that the decision by the ROS to maintain Julau MP Larry Sng as party president was unreasonable and invalid. 

In her supporting affidavit, Zuraida alleged that during the party’s general assembly on October 1 last year, Sng made a statement agreeing to a leadership transition that would see her take over as party president. 

She also said she received a letter from PBM dated October 15 stating the party had informed ROS about her appointment as president. 

She asserted, however, that she subsequently received a letter from PBM on December 19, in which Sng “self-declared” himself as party president, suspended her membership, and directed her to show cause within seven days. 

Zuraida asserted that Sng’s action was invalid as the provision he used to suspend her membership could only be exercised by the party president. 

She left Bersatu in May last year to join the newly formed PBM. She had joined Bersatu after being sacked from PKR in the wake of the Sheraton Move in 2020. 

She stood under the PBM ticket in defending her Ampang seat in the last general election but lost to PKR’s Rodziah Ismail in a nine-cornered fight. 

In December, Zuraida was sacked by PBM along with 10 others after they failed to respond to the show cause letters. – April 12, 2023.