KUALA LUMPUR: Former PKR vice-president Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin was ordered to pay RM10 million to PKR for breaching a bond binding her to the party.
High Court Judge Datuk Akhtar Tahir, in his judgment, said the bond was valid and Zuraida's allegation in this suit was an afterthought.
"The defendant herself had acknowledged that the plaintiff had spent an amount exceeding RM10 million on her candidacy during the election.
"This is a clear admission on the part of the defendant that she cannot retract.
"The bond was aimed to deter the party's candidates from acting against the interest of the party before or after an election," he said.
He said evidence during the trial showed that Zuraida signed the bond with full knowledge of the contents.
The former Ampang member of Parliament was also ordered to pay RM50,000 in cost to PKR.
Earlier, Zuraida in her defence claimed that she was forced to sign the bond with the party to become its candidate in the 14th General Election (GE14) in 2018.
Zuraida said she received the document from the party's leadership a day before nomination day and did not have ample time to read the entire content.
"I was told that I need to put my signature on the documents to allow me to contest under PKR. I do not have the opportunity to read the content of the document I signed.
"I have been forced to sign certain documents against my will, without being given genuine choice," she said.
She alleged that the party unilaterally prepared the document, and all candidates who contested under it were compelled to sign without any other options.
The suit was filed by PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail on behalf of the party via Messrs William Leong & Co on Sept 28.
Saifuddin, when testifying as a witness in the suit, said the defendant signed a party bond without any force or pressure.
He said Zuraida did not raise any objection when she was asked to do so as a requirement for candidates to contest under the party's ticket.
In the statement of claim, Saifuddin said Zuraida had executed a bond that bound her to pay the party the sum in accordance with the terms and conditions set under the bond.
The terms include, among others, that Zuraida agrees to pay the party a sum of RM10 million not later than seven days upon winning the election on the PKR ticket and then resigning from the party or joining any other political party or becoming an independent elected representative.
Saifuddin claimed that on Feb 24, Zuraida had announced her resignation from the party through a statement with 10 other PKR Members of Parliament (MPs) without stepping down from her elected post of Ampang MP.
He said the defendant, together with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) and then opposition parties, namely Barisan Nasional (BN), Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (Pas), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GRS) and others formed a new bloc known as "Perikatan Nasional" (PN).
This, he claimed, had caused the fall of the Pakatan Harapan federal government and when PN took over, Zuraida was appointed as a minister in the PN federal government.
On the same day, the PKR central leadership council approved a resolution to terminate Zuraida's membership from the party with immediate effect, with Saifuddin as the party's secretary-general issuing a certificate dated July 24, confirming the termination.
PKR claimed that it had, through its legal representatives, issued a letter of demand dated Aug 7 requiring Zuraida to pay the sum of RM10 million in accordance with the terms of the bond.
Saifuddin claimed that the defendant had failed, refused and neglected to pay the sum which the party was entitled to claim.
He said the defendant has enjoyed the benefits of being elected as the party's candidate and winning the Ampang parliamentary seat and it was therefore unjust for her to retain the benefits without paying compensation for such marks and support she received.