29. Employees of a trade union.
(1) A registered trade union may, subject to subsection (2) and of the rules of such union, employ and pay a secretary, treasurer and such other persons as may be necessary for the purposes of such union or of any federation of trade unions to which the union belongs:
Provided that no employee of such union other than—
(a) the holder of a full-time office as secretary, assistant secretary, treasurer or assistant treasurer who is elected in accordance with the rules of such union; or
(b) a secretary, assistant secretary, treasurer or assistant treasurer who is employed as such immediately before the commencement of-this paragraph and possessing no power of voting in respect of the affairs of such union or of any of its committees,
shall be a member of the executive of such union.
(2) A person shall not be employed by a registered trade union under subsection (IS
(a) if he is not a citizen of the Federation resident in West Malaysia, in the case of a trade union in West Malaysia, or resident in Sabah, in the case of a trade union in Sabah, or resident in Sarawak, in the case of a trade union in Sarawak;
(b) if he has been convicted by any court of a criminal offence and has not received a free pardon in respect thereof, and such conviction in the opinion of the Director General renders him unfit to be employed by a trade union;
(c) if he is an officer or employee of any other trade union; or
(cl) if he is an office-bearer or employee of a political party:
Provided that paragraph (a) shall not apply in the case of a union which, in the opinion of the Minister. is required by its objects to represent persons or the interests of persons who are not resident in West Malaysia, Sabah or Sarawak as the case may be, and that paragraph (c) shall not apply to a federation of trade unions registered under Part XII.
(3) Any person who is disqualified to be employed by a trade union under subsection (1) or subsection (2) and has himself so employed without first obtaining the exemption of the Minister under section 30 (b), shall be guilty of an offense and shall, on conviction, be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or to a fine not exceeding two thousand ringgit, or to both.
