PUTRAJAYA: Labuan MP Datuk Dr Suhaili Abdul Rahman has failed to reinstate his lawsuit against Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) challenging the cessation of his party membership.
This follows a decision by a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal on Wednesday (April 29), led by Datuk Azizul Azmi Adnan, which unanimously dismissed Suhaili’s appeal to set aside a High Court’s decision that had struck out his suit in favour of Bersatu.
"We are of the considered view that there is binding authority for the principle on Section 18C of the Societies Act, which ousts the court’s jurisdiction from hearing disputes concerning societies, does not offend the terms of the Federal Constitution,” he said.
Justice Azizul said the court considered that the striking out was appropriate given the circumstances and ordered Suhaili to pay RM30,000 in legal costs.
Suhaili had filed the suit against Bersatu in 2024, seeking an order that his membership cessation from the party was invalid.
The party suspended his membership for six years in November 2023 following Suhaili's press statement supporting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Suhaili claimed that he made the statement due to his former party's failure to provide funds to assist the people of Labuan.
On April 15, 2025, the High Court in Shah Alam struck out Suhaili’s suit after ruling that Bersatu’s decision to cease Suhaili’s membership was a decision related to the party’s affairs, and hence Section 18C, which bars anyone from bringing political party-related matters to court, applies and binds the court.
In Wednesday’s proceedings, Suhaili’s lawyer Datuk Firoz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin argued that his client’s case should be remitted back to the High Court for trial as it involved the validity of Section 18C.
Meanwhile, Lawyer Chetan Jethwani, representing Bersatu, submitted that Suhaili, as an MP, was entitled to free speech but should face the consequences if his conduct offended his party.
Sitting with Justice Azizul were Justices Datuk Ong Chee Kwan and Datuk Amarjeet Singh. – Bernama
