The mass suspensions are an all-time high for disciplinary action taken by any members’ club in the country.

The 56 members were barred on Nov 29 after the club’s general committee (GC) ruled that an EGM held on May 2 to address various grievances was illegal.

The GC had on May 1 ordered the meeting to be postponed 15 hours before it was held, citing concerns over the spread of Covid-19, but over 70 members turned up.

On April 30, the club secretary informed members that the EGM had received the Covid-19 control and prevention clearance from the health ministry and police.

Today, the Registrar of Societies (RoS) said in a letter, which was issued after it met with three of the suspended members, that the notice for the postponement was done without sufficient notice.

Selangor RoS director Nurul Azhar Husin said in light of the abrupt notice it was unreasonable to suspend the 56 members.

He proposed that the suspensions be reviewed and that the affected members be allowed to attend the club’s annual general meeting on Dec 18.

The meeting with Nurul went ahead despite the absence of GC members who had apparently informed the RoS that they were not able to attend.

Club vice-president R Ragavan, who attended the meeting, hoped the GC would react positively to the advice of the RoS.

“It will not be good for the GC to be confrontational with the RoS and the suspended members,” he said.

Kelab PJ deputy president Taufik Sree Abdullah declined comment.

Under the club’s constitution, the president is the current Petaling Jaya district officer who is assisted by the elected members who form the GC to manage the club.

The club currently has a membership of about 700, comprising the middle-income, semi-professional and professional groups.

It was built by the Selangor state government in the late 1960s for the sports and recreational needs of the growing population in the then newly-established satellite town of Petaling Jaya.