As a member of the National Union of Bank Employees for the past seven years, I have been asked umpteen times by the public as well as fellow members as to what is really happening to the union.

Initially, I tried to explain the complexity of the matter. Lately, I have simplified my answer to this common question why can't NUBE have an election to resolve the matter?

My answer is, nobody knows except for some 25 persons who had attended meetings with the task force set up by the Human Resources Minister Dr Fong Chan Onn. These 25 persons, as reported in the press, are those from a disputing faction, claiming to be the legitimate representatives of the leadership of the NUBE. So far, as reported in the press, they could not agree with an election because it concerns the need of money to run an election.

As far as I am aware, no one can stop an election whether it is a by-election or a general election. Even the ruling party of Malaysia must have an election within five years from taking power. Indeed, I have even told some friends that this matter should have a place in our Malaysia Book of Records for the Most Unique Leadership Tussle Ever.

Why? Because this matter seems to last forever, as of now. Even some of our major issues did come to an end, after a while. They either ended with convictions, resignations, terminations, settlements, retirements or even silence. But never had a matter gone on and on.

Further, to deserve a place in the record books, it has gone through the Human Resource Ministry, the ministry task force, the Finance Ministry, the Malaysian Trades Union Congress, the police department (many, many times over, from cases of cheating to beatings), the press, the Anti-Corruption Agency, the office of the trades union director-general, its deputy and ex-deputy, the sessions court, High Court and Court of Appeal, and the members of Nube. Not forgetting a newcomer to the list: the attorney-general!

Those are only the respectful people or institutions that Nube and others sought to resolve the problem for the past three years. Can one imagine the money involved?

The result is that some 25 people claiming to be the legitimate leaders of the Nube (even the High Court has refused to recognise this claim) refusing to resolve the matter in the simplest way. This led to Fong becoming the 'most mentioned minister of the year' by the press, besides the prime minister and deputy prime minister.

How about those at stake? 28,000 members' benefits have been left un-revised since four years ago. The three-year collective agreement ended one year ago. This has obviously affected their families and dependents. Due to the ever low-morale of the bank workers for the past three years, their consequential productivity will definitely affect bank customers. This is made worse when their pecuniary benefits are affected besides welfare. Therefore, those at stake also include the customers, employers and shareholders of the banks.

How about the foreign investors in opening banks and bank accounts in Malaysia by 2005? For the foreign bankers, are we expecting them to bring over their own non-management workers, or they do not need to employ any of these people at all? Maybe all their workers will be outsourced to periodical contract workers. What will happen when people do not seem to own the job? Fraud is the most probable thing that will happen besides negligence.

What then is the solution? The High Court refers the legitimate leadership as per the current record in the Registrar of Trades Union. These listed people should call for an election in the current circumstances, failing which the members should wield the power to force an election. No one can dispute this. The members have spoken their heart to have an election. Indeed no one has spoken otherwise other than the 25 people. Can we have an election?

I hope the MTUC, which is meeting with the two factions will not give up making sure the Nube holds an election.