KUCHING: The Registrar of Societies (RoS) may have to ‘referee’ a leadership crisis brewing in the Sarawak Rangers Veteran Association (SRVA) which has become personal in nature.
Both the president Colonel (Rtd) Robert Rizal Abdullah and the secretary-general Captain (Rtd) Mohd Johari ‘ Ibrahim whom he had sacked in November last year are insisting that their actions were based on the constitution.
Rizal told The Borneo Post yesterday that he was still the legitimate president because the ‘so-called extraordinary general meeting that Johari and few others called was null and void’ as it was done without his presence.
“Moreover, he (Johari) does not have any authority to run the association’s business anymore after being sacked in November for abusing his position as secretary-general.
“He was sacked after a thorough investigation by the board of inquiry and after I was really satisfied with its finding. I sacked him in accordance with Clause 20 (m) of our constitution,” he said.
He said the clause clearly spelt out that the appointment and termination of a secretary-general was the prerogative of the president.
Rizal added that following Johari’s sacking, he appointed Major (Rtd) Zainuddin @ Sharkawi Dawi as the new secretary-general.
“Taking note of what have transpired, particularly the unofficial EGM, Sharkawi and our lawyer have gone to the RoS office in Kuching to brief its director Ken Leben on what have actually happened.”
He added that Johari even ignored the termination notice served on him with a copy sent to RoS.
“He refused to leave office despite the wrongdoing he has committed,” Rizal said.
Johari, meanwhile, countered that he disregarded the president’s termination order because it was not done in a correct manner.
“My comment is this…sacking of secretary-general is a serious matter and it should be decided by the executive committee members and not by one person alone. Therefore, I consider my sacking as invalid.”
He also claimed the EGM last Sunday was constitutional as it was done in accordance with their constitution.
“We followed very closely the constitution. Even the RoS had been informed prior and after the meeting during which the president was removed and replaced by Lt Colonel (Rtd) James Tomlo Isa. The minutes of our meetings have also been submitted to the authority,” he said.
Johari also denied that the association was in disarray and claimed that the association was still very much intact.
“The problem is only between Rizal and I, a personal kind of problem,” he said.