KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 (Bernama) -- The High Court here will decide on April 14 on the Registrar of Societies' (ROS) application to set aside the Malaysian Arbitral Tribunal Establishment (Mate) ruling that senator Datuk T.Murugiah is the rightful president of the People's Progressive Party (PPP).

Justice Datuk Aziah Ali fixed the date upon meeting both parties in chambers today.

She ordered both parties to submit written submissions on the matter on March 23 and April 1.

Last Dec 24, the ROS filed the application to set aside Mate's ruling dated Dec 11, 2009, that Murugiah, the deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department, was the rightful PPP president.

In its application, the ROS named Mate, its president, Datuk Munsyi Muslim Yacob, the arbitrator who made the decision, Assoc Prof Datuk Abdul Halim Sidek, and Murugiah as respondents.

The ROS is seeking a declaration that statutory functions and jurisdiction of the ROS were not subject ot action by Mate.

The ROS is also seeking an order that Murugiah's reference of the matter to Mate was an abuse of the legal process, null and void.

On Dec 28 last year Murugiah filed an application at the High Court to enforce Mate's ruling. No date has been fixed for the hearing as the court would have to first decide on the ROS's application.

Counsel A.Vishnu Kumar and Sreekant Pillai acted for Murugiah while senior federal counsel Datin Azizah Nawawi and Nadia Hanim Mohd Tajuddin appeared for the ROS and Mohan Krishnan, for Mate.

Later, Sreekant told the media that the judge also fixed April 23 for decision in the application by PPP president Datuk M.Kaveas to be an intervenor in the case. Kayveas was represented by counsel Naran Singh.

Following Mate's decision, Murugiah, on Dec 30, 2009, withdrew his suit against the ROS which challenged the decision that his sacking by the PPP was valid.

Murugiah was sacked in May 2009 after he allegedly used his deputy minister's office in the Prime Minister's Department to organise a news conference, and was removed on grounds that he had tarnished the good name of the party and made highly defamatory remarks against the party, its supreme council and leadership. (By Suriati/ Bernama)