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PETALING JAYA: For the first time in the 71-year history of the Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC), a contest for a key position at its triennial delegates conference ended in a tie.
Current President Abdul Halim Mansor of the National Union of Petroleum and Chemical Industries Workers (NUPCIW) and his challenger Mohd Jafar Abd Majid of the National Union of Telecommunications Employees (NUTE) each obtained 136 votes.
A third challenger, Nor Azlan Yaacob of the Timber Employees Union (TEU) obtained 102 votes.
Newly elected Secretary General Kamarul Baharin Mansor of the National Union of Waste Management (NUMW) said he would study the MTUC constitution on the next step to take.
“I will also seek the advice of the Registrar of Companies (RoS), as such a result in the result for a key position is unprecedented,” he told FMT.
Kamarul said he would also call a meeting of the working committee, which handles the union’s day-to-day affairs, to get their views.
In the meantime, recently elected Vice President Mohd Effendy Abdul Ghani of the Post Office Workers Union will serve as the interim president.
Meanwhile, Kamarul’s victory was also considered a surprise as he defeated incumbent general secretary J Solomon in a three-way fight.
Kamarul got 143 votes, Gopal Kishnam Nadeson of the National Union of Transportation Equipment and Allied Industries Workers (NUTEAIW) got 132 votes while Solomon (National Union of Bank Employees) got 98 votes.
A total of 507 delegates were eligible to attend the conference, but only about 400 were present as some from Sarawak stayed away due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite yesterday’s result, four unions have gone to court to challenge the validity of the call for the meeting.
His lawyer Srividhya Ganapathy said that the convening of the conference of special delegates is not in accordance with the MTUC constitution.
The unions want the RoS to step in and oversee the election and make sure the working committee acts in accordance with the constitution.
A case management had been arranged on September 29.
