GEORGE TOWN: A shouting match ended the tussle for the presidency of the Penang Malay Chamber of Commerce (DPMPP) when businessman Datuk Azman Shah Omar Shah was disqualified from contesting for the top post.

Azman Shah alleges there was a "conspiracy" to prevent him from contesting.

He was challenging controversial incumbent Rizal Faris Mohideen, who had recently been in the spotlight for accusing Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng of sidelining the Malays in the state.

Azman Shah, a director of trading company Edaran Timur Jauh said on Thursday, March 11, he was told by the DPMPP legal adviser that he qualified to contest the post.

Rizal is defending his presidency for the second term.

"I have been a member of the chamber since 1997 and my company only joined the DPMPP last year. So, their excuse is that, since the company has not  been a member for even a year, I am disqualified from contesting the presidency," said Azman Shah.

"When I submitted my nomination on March 1, I was not told that I was ineligible to contest, but I was in fact told that I qualified. Even during a March 5 meeting, I was told the same. Why is it that I am disqualified at the last minute?" he added.

Earlier during the proceedings Azman Shah was heard shouting in the meeting room: "This is an injustice and unfair. How can you disqualify me today and not earlier?"

Azman Shah, 49, had earlier said he was contesting the post to revive DPMPP, which he claimed was ailing under the present leadership.

The deputy president's post involves a straight fight between entreprenuer and heart surgeon Datuk Dr Zainuddin Wazir and incumbent Ahmad Feisal Ahmad Tajuddin, while Datuk Dr Faldze Ariffin is taking on Syed Hassan Syed Ali for the vice-president's post.

At press time, voting had yet to be completed.