KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 — Umno is hauling three more federal lawmakers who have abandoned its party for alleged breach of contract and trust, among others.
The Star reported former judge Tan Sri Apandi Ali who has since returned to private practice and is representing the Opposition party confirmed the suits were filed last Friday at the High Court in three separate cities: Johor Baru, Shah Alam and Kuala Terengganu.
He reportedly said the party is suing Mersing MP Datuk Abdul Latiff Ahmad, Sabah Bernam MP Datuk Mohd Fasiah Mohd Fakeh and Hulu Terengganu MP Datuk Rosol Wahid for alleged breach of contract, unjust enrichment, legitimate expectations and breach of trust.
The trio quit Umno after the Barisan Nasional coalition — of which the party was the lynchpin — after its shock defeat in the May 2018 general election.
Umno is now left with 37 MPs in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat.
The Malay nationalist party had previously filed similar lawsuits against three other MPs: Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed (Jeli) Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin (Larut) and Datuk Seri Ikhmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (Tanah Merah).
All six listed above have since joined Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM).
According to news reports, Umno wants the Mustapa, Hamzah and Ikhmal to pay a total of RM600,000 in damages.
Mustapa left Umno on September 18 last year and joined PPBM, a member of Pakatan Harapan, on October 26 the same year.
Hamzah and Ikmal joined PPBM on February 12. They left Umno last December 14.
There are seven more MPs who left Umno for PPBM: Datuk Shabudin Yahya (Tasek Gelugor), Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (Masjid Tanah), Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali (Bagan Serai), Datuk Ronald Kiandee (Beluran), Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri (Kudat), Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun (Beaufort) and Datuk Zakaria Mohd Edris (Libaran).
Three other ex-Umno MPs, Datuk Seri Anifah Aman (Kimanis), his son Yamani Hafez Musa (Sipitang) and Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Syed Abdul Faisal (Bukit Gantang) are currently independents.
Labuan MP Datuk Rozman quit Umno and has since joined Parti Warisan Sabah under the leadership of Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.
