16 Umno members in bid to challenge party’s legality

KUALA LUMPUR: Sixteen Umno members have filed leave for a judicial review to challenge the legality of the party.

They are asking the court to compel the Registrar of Societies (RoS) to provisionally dissolve Umno, and for RoS to suspend all Umno’s activities until the judicial review is completed.

The applicants are also seeking a declaration that all Umno branches and divisions and the supreme council do not have legal effect, and should be dissolved effective yesterday (April 20).

They are also seeking a certiorari order to cancel any decision by the RoS, which allowed an extension of time for the Umno elections at all levels.

This (second) extension had been given to Datuk Ab Rauf Yusoh (who is being sued as the second respondent in his capacity as Umno public officer), via a media statement in March this year.

The 16 are arguing that the last day for Umno branches to hold their elections was on Feb 28 and the last day for the supreme council and 191 divisions to function was Thursday (April 19).

The branches last held their elections on Aug 31, 2013 and were supposed to hold a fresh election by Aug 31, 2016. However, they were granted an extension of 18 months by the RoS (till Feb 28, 2018).

The 16 claim the (second) extension given by the RoS to Umno to hold its elections next year was against their party constitution and they want the order quashed.

They claims that under Umno’s constitution, party elections can be only extended up to 54 months.

The 16 filed the application at the Kuala Lumpur High Court Registry here via the firm of Messrs Haniff Khatri yesterday.

The first applicant is Seri Merpati Pandan Indah Umno branch chief Salihudin Ahmad Khalid.

The others are Noor Halimi Yahya, 53; Mariam Mohd Ishak, 55; Mohd Hafami Hanif, 49; Saharudin Tukiman, 42; Azaid Jani, 34; Normalawati Hassan, 30; Radiana Abd Manaf, 35; Mohd Rafeek Rahim, 37; Nurul Hanna Mohd Suhot, 37; Kamarul Abd Wahid, 45; Mohd Hikamal Md Hassim, 49; Muzamzamir Abd Wahab, 41; Norizam Jamaludin, 50; Rohani Ahmad, 40; and Muhamad Hafizi Hashim, 30.

They are Umno members from 11 branches in six states.