‘Bring it’, Zuraida says after PKR files RM10m defection suit against her

KUALA LUMPUR, October 2 — Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin today described the RM10 million lawsuit filed against by her former party PKR to be “frivolous” but said she will face it head on in court.

Zuraida said that any law student could have explained to the current PKR leadership that the court will not enforce any agreement that breaches the federal constitution.

“I refer them to the Federal court decisions in Datuk Ong Kee Hui and Nordin Salleh, as well as Article 10 of the Constitution.

“PKR seems unaware that in our democracy, elected representatives are free to leave their political parties and for that matter I was sacked,” she said in a statement.

Zuraida also said it is not a surprise that her former party have brought the matter to court.

“Bankrupt of ideas for the improvement of the rakyat, they now rely on sensationalism and cheap publicity stunts,” she said.

Zuraida said that she left PKR because it is no longer focused on the welfare of the people, but on the prime ministerial ambitions of one man.

“Their clamour to seize the Prime Minister’s position could be seen by the whole country during the 22 months of Pakatan Harapan rule and now in the midst of coronavirus pandemic. To have stayed on in such a thoughtless party would have been against my conscience.

“As for this utterly frivolous suit against me, bring it on!,” she said.

Yesterday, PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has initiated a lawsuit on his party’s behalf against Zuraida to demand RM10 million from a bond signed in 2018 to safeguard against defections.

PKR treasurer general Lee Chean Chung said the party will also pursue similar legal action against other lawmakers who defected after winning on PKR’s ticket during the 2018 election.

According to Lee, the bond signed ahead of the 2018 general election held that candidates contesting under PKR’s banner acknowledged that this would come at a “substantial” cost to the party.

Aside from Zuraida, other lawmakers who quit the party alongside her include Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, Kamaruddin Jaafar, Datuk Mansor Othman, Mohd Rashid Hasnon, Edmund Santhara Kumar Ramanaidu, Ali Biju, Willie Mongin, Muhd Hilman Idham, Muhd Jailani Khamis, Chong Fatt Full.

Previously, Azmin flatly rejected paying PKR the RM10 million, saying he would not give any money to a “damaged party”.

Others have also argued that the bond was unenforceable as it would violate their constitutional right to freedom of association.