Mahathir’s lawyer, Haniff Khatri Abdullah, told reporters this after High Court judge Rohani Ismail delivered her decision in chambers.

“Her Ladyship views that the five plaintiffs’ claims ought to be struck out because they do not have the legal position or locus standi to bring such an action to court.

“In her ruling, she also said Section 18C of the Societies Act bars any dispute in political parties to be taken to court,” he said.

Haniff said the court ordered Mahathir, Mukhriz Mahathir, Maszlee Malik, Amiruddin Hamzah and Marzuki Yahya to pay RM30,000 in costs.

He said he will seek the five men’s instructions on whether to appeal against today’s ruling.

In their statement of claim, the five men said the decision to terminate their PPBM memberships was invalid as working secretary Muhammad Suhaimi Yahya had no power to remove them from the party.

They also contended that Suhaimi’s position was not recognised under PPBM’s constitution.

They also disputed the use of Articles 10.2.2 and 10.2.3 of the party constitution against them, saying these only state that members who join another political party or resign from PPBM will have their memberships revoked.

The five are seeking the reinstatement of their memberships and to nullify the memberships of Muhyiddin, Suhaimi and secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin on grounds that they had joined Perikatan Nasional.