KUALA LUMPUR — Dr Mahathir Mohamad and four other Malaysian Members of Parliament (MPs) on Tuesday (June 9) filed a lawsuit to challenge Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (Bersatu) termination of their memberships and effectively their leadership roles almost two weeks ago, besides also seeking compensation.

In their lawsuit where they are seeking for 26 court orders, Dr Mahathir and the other affected individuals wanted the court to declare that Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin is not the acting chairman of the party and that Mr Hamzah Zainudin’s appointment as the party’s secretary-general is invalid.

In the lawsuit filed on Tuesday afternoon at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur, Dr Mahathir had filed it in his stated capacity as Bersatu chairman, with the rest who are suing named as Mr Mukhriz Mahathir as Bersatu deputy president, Mr Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman as Bersatu Youth chief, Mr Maszlee Malik and Mr Amiruddin Hamzah.

All five of them insist that they are still Bersatu members despite the party’s May 28 removal of them.

The two others listed as having brought the lawsuit are Mr Marzuki Yahya who Bersatu said no longer acts as secretary-general despite his insistence of his continued role, and Bersatu which the six individuals said was bringing the lawsuit through them.

As for the four individuals which Dr Mahathir and the rest are suing, they were listed as Mr Muhyiddin, Mr Hamzah, organising secretary Muhammad Suhaimi Yahya who had issued the letter to notify Dr Mahathir and the four others of their membership ending, and Ms Masyati Abang Ibrahim in her capacity as the Registrar of Societies Malaysia. MALAY MAIL