Zuraida seeks declaration for PBM presidency

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin has filed for a judicial review at the High Court against the Registrar of Societies (RoS) to seek a declaration that she is the rightful Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) president (pic).

Zuraida, 65, filed the application through Messrs Ashmeer Ashrof on March 24 and named the RoS as the sole respondent.

In her application, the former Ampang Member of Parliament sought a declaration that RoS’ action to retain Datuk Larry Soon @ Larry Sng Wei Shen as the PBM president was unlawful and a mandamus order to compel RoS to recognise her as PBM’s rightful president effective Oct 7, 2022.

Through a supporting affidavit, she said she received a letter from PBM on Oct 27, 2022, informing her about her appointment as PBM president.

However, Zuraida said she had received a letter from the party dated Dec 19 of the same year, in which Soon declared himself as the PBM president and suspended her membership.

The former plantation industries and commodities minister said she learned of her sacking from the PBM through The Star news portal on Dec 27, 2022, but never received any notice, letter or information from the party about it.

“Since YB Larry Soon (respondent) has been retained as the PBM president, there is no need for PBM to comply with Clause 14 of its constitution to sack me.

“My illegal sacking received media coverage, resulting in severe damage to my political image.

“I believe that if the respondent had registered me as the PBM president after receiving the letter, I could not have been unconstitutionally sacked,” said Zuraida in the affidavit.

Meanwhile, lawyer Mohamed Ashmeer Ashrof, who is representing Zuraida, when contacted, said the judicial review application hearing is scheduled before Judge Datuk Amarjeet Singh today.