Ahmad Haji Maarop FCJJ :

JUDGMENT OF THE COURT

[1]This is the appeal by the Appellants (the first, second, third, fourth, eight and ninth Defendant in the High Court) against the decision of the Court of Appeal given on 16.12.2011 which reversed the decision of the High Court. The High Court had, on 21.3.2011, allowed the Appellants' application under O 18 r 19 of the Rules of the High Court 1980 (RHC) and struck out the Originating Summons No -21-380-2009 ("the Originating Summons") filed by the Respondents (the Plaintiffs in the High Court).

[2]The background facts leading to the present appeal are these. After the General Election held on 8.3.2008, Pakatan Rakyat formed the State Government in Selangor. The Selangor Legislative Assembly ("SLA") comprised of 36 elected members representing Pakatan Rakyat and 20 elected members (including the Respondents) representing Barisan Nasional which formed the opposition. On 22.4.2008 the first Defendant was elected the Speaker of the SLA. On 26.5.2008 the Select Committee on Competence, Accountability and Transparency ("SELCAT") was established when Ms. Elizabeth Wong Keat Ping, the Assembly member from Bukit Lanjan, moved the motion for, in