KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 4 — The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) General Council has stripped Mohd Effendy Abdul Ghani from his presidential post, effective Jan 19, following an investigation by its Disciplinary Committee into his misconduct.
In a statement today, MTUC announced that Mohd Effendy has also been banned from contesting in the congress’ office-bearer elections for the next two terms, or six years.
This decision was made at the MTUC’s General Council meeting on Jan 19, which was attended by 38 council members from the affiliate unions.
“During the meeting, the MTUC Disciplinary Committee presented the findings of its investigation into Mohd Effendy’s misconduct.
“As a result of his dismissal as president, Mohd Effendy is no longer allowed to use, represent, or attend any meetings or events in the capacity of an MTUC official, starting from Jan 19. Any statements made by him will not be considered as representing the voice of MTUC and will not be the responsibility of MTUC,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, when contacted by Bernama, Mohd Effendy expressed his regret over the decision and described it as a misleading action that would confuse all parties. He also urged MTUC to retract the statement to avoid legal action.
“The meeting was invalid because the Registrar of Societies (ROS) clearly stated in a letter dated Aug 16, 2024, that the General Council was not recognised.
“Therefore, all decisions, including the suspension of the president and three vice-presidents, are null and void and have no legal basis,” he said.
He claimed that the issuance of the statement violated the MTUC constitution and contravened the stay order from the Shah Alam High Court, which had ruled that no decisions regarding union policies could be made until Mohd Effendy’s appeal was disposed of by the Court of Appeal.
He also claimed that Kamarul Baharin Mansor’s post as the MTUC secretary-general was also invalid based on an official letter from the Director-General of the Department of Trade Union Affairs (JHEKS).
“This means that any actions or decisions made by him in the capacity of secretary-general are unlawful and have no legal effect.
“All parties involved should respect the decision of the ROS, the court order, and the MTUC constitution to ensure the integrity and transparency of the union leadership is maintained,” he said while calling on ROS to intervene in the matter. — Bernama