The Attorney-General's Chambers is looking into the implication of the High Court decision on the leadership tussle in the National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE).

Yesterday, High Court civil appellate division judge Raus Sharif shocked both factions - led by Abdul Jalil Hamid and Muhammad Fauzi Shamsuddin respectively - when he ruled that neither had a legitimate exco line-up.

The chambers is expected to provide the Human Resources Ministry with a clearer interpretation of the decision on the protracted dispute by next week, said Minister Dr Fong Chan Onn when contacted today.

"The NUBE is now in a limbo. No one can truly claim to be legitimate officials. We need to go back to pre-Oct 30, 2001 exco line-up but the court did not make this clear," he told malaysiakini.

Minister appeals

"Our legal advisors are studying the implications of yesterday's decision. In the meantime, I appeal to both sides to end this long-drawn legal battle and agree on re-election because as of now, both cannot claim to be the legally constituted exco."

The ministry's secretary-general is likely to "meet both factions soon" to get them to agree to fresh election.

"Let the NUBE members have a say on who should lead them," added Fong.

This is a result of the stalemate following yesterday's court decision quashing the director-general of trade union's (DGTU) endorsement of a rival's leadership.

Both groups have since claimed victory, based on the lawyers' respective interpretations.

When contacted, J Solomon, the general secretary in Abdul Jalil's team, said they wanted a fresh election to resolve the matter once and for all "so that no one can claim legitimacy to the union leadership according to their own interpretations".

"This (decision) is a good opening for the ministry's task force to appoint an independent committee to oversee the election. We are all for it," he said, conceding that the ongoing dispute had crippled the union's administration.

Election in order

Solomon said that an election was in order as the current term of the union leadership expired in Aug 2002.

He said the 24-member exco aligned to Abdul Jalil met yesterday evening and decided in favour of an election.

"We hope the task force will convene a fresh election, which is long overdue, soon. In fact, preparations have been underway for some time now.

"We're only waiting for the task force to set up an independent body to oversee the election, which it should do due to the prevailing special circumstances."

Solomon said circulars explaining the court decision and its implications, with the judgment attached, will be sent to all members tomorrow.

President of rival faction, Fauzi, said he plans to re-submit a fresh L form - legally required to register an exco line-up - sometime next week.

"There is no rush now. We don't have to worry about anything because the court decision is clear. Anyone can claim anything they want but we know we are the legitimate leadership."