KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9 — Faced with possible bankruptcy proceedings over her alleged failure to pay a French-based production company, Datuk Seri Rina Harun was absent for today’s proceedings fixed for the judgment debtor summons at the High Court.
A judgment debtor summons is a summons issued by the court to be served on the judgment debtor to compel the person to appear in court to provide information about their assets and how they can be disposed of to settle the judgment debt.
According to court documents obtained by Malay Mail, a statement of claim against Rina was filed on November 8, 2018, for US$553,795 (RM2.3 million) by the French firm and that the full amount must be paid by July 31, 2019.
The claim was for several films, comedy shows and documentaries within the comedy genre to three companies of which Rina was director.
The documents also stated that an interest rate of five per cent per annum was imposed from the date of the statement of claim.
Lawyer Mark Ho, who is representing Paris-based film production company Sarl Novovision, said Rina had cited several reasons for her absence after she was supposed to comply with the court order for the judgment debtor summons hearing.
“The minister couldn’t attend today because she indicated to court her bodyguard had passed away and Parliament is in session.
“The minister has also proposed settlement terms which I am not at liberty to say but I have been handed cheques as installment payment and on that basis the court granted another date on October 22 for the judgment debtor summons,” he told reporters when met here.
Rina was represented by lawyer Husain Mohd Razak.
When met by reporters, Husain said today's hearing before the registrar went without a hitch and everything would be resolved at the soonest.
He also affirmed that his client was unable to come this morning because she had an urgent meeting and an emergency to attend to.
According to the background of the case reported by a news portal yesterday, Rina, who was one of the directors of now-defunct companies Eurofine (M) Sdn Bhd, Fine Mobile Network Sdn Bhd and Fine TV Network Sdn Bhd, had purchased several comedy shows and documentaries from the Paris-based film production company between 2011 and 2013.
Rina and another company director, Ida Rahayu Md Noor, had in May 2014 entered into a guarantee agreement with Sarl Novovision that they would personally and jointly undertake all liabilities of the companies.
However, the companies were closed down between Dec 2013 and Aug 2015, respectively.
According to the Office of the Chief Registrar Federal Court of Malaysia, the court can order the judgment debtor to pay the judgement sum either in one lump sum or instalments if the aforementioned summons is eventually granted.
If the judgment debtor fails to comply with the court order, they will be called upon again to show cause why they should not be imprisoned.
Separately, the Malaysia Department of Insolvency (MDI) states that creditors may file for bankruptcy action against an individual if the debt owing is more than RM50,000.
Rina, who is also Titiwangsa MP, could therefore be disqualified from holding the office of a Member of Parliament if she is declared bankrupt.
