JASIN: The Umno Youth chief warned the Rembia assemblyman not to evade paying the RM100 million lawsuit for party-hopping.
Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh said the assemblyman's claim that Umno seeks to bankrupt him is both false and shallow.
"Umno is not trying to bankrupt anyone; rather, it simply wants to reclaim the promise made when he signed the agreement as a candidate for the state election in 2021.
"We did not force him to sign the agreement; he did so voluntarily because he wanted to be a candidate representing Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN).
"So, he (Muhammad Jailani) needs to be responsible for what he previously agreed to," Akmal said after hosting a visit from the 39th Technical Committee Meeting of the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) delegation in Merlimau today.
On Monday, Rembia assemblyman Datuk Muhammad Jailani Khamis claimed that Umno's demand for RM100 million was intended to bankrupt him.
He said that settling the claim would financially burden him, but he remains committed to his decision to join Pas.
Akmal, who is also Jasin Umno Division chief, advised Jailani not to distort facts with unreasonable allegations and to face the consequences of his actions.
"The fact is, you (Muhammad Jailani) willingly signed the agreement without any coercion. However, you breached the terms of the contract when you switched parties.
"Just accept this reality. Umno is merely reclaiming the promise we both previously agreed on.
"I just want to wish Jailani 'good luck' in raising RM100 million from now on to pay Umno," he said.
Last month, Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki announced that Umno would initiate legal action against Jailani to claim damages and compensation amounting to RM100 million.
The decision was made in the party's Supreme Council meeting, where it was agreed to proceed with legal action to claim the stated damages and compensation.
It followed the accusation that Jailani breached the BN candidate representation agreement for the 15th Melaka state election, which had been signed before a commissioner of oaths and witnesses.
Umno's leaders said that the claim for compensation aligns with the agreement signed between the party and state assembly representatives who leave during their term of service.