KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here ordered former PKR vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin to pay RM10 million in damages for breaching a party bond she signed six years ago.
Justice Akhtar Tahir ruled that the party succeeded in proving its claim against Zuraida.
“The purpose of the bond is to deter members, especially (PKR’s) elected candidates, from acting against the interest of the party before or after an election.
“A lesser sum will not act as a deterrent,” he said.
The judge said that under the terms of the bond, Zuraida had promised to pay RM10 million in any of three events, including if PKR terminates her membership or if she resigns.
“Her contention that she signed it under duress is baseless. The evidence showed she signed the bond with full knowledge of the contents,” Akhtar added.
The court also ordered Zuraida to pay RM50,000 in costs to PKR.
PKR, through its secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, had filed a suit in 2020 against Zuraida, claiming that she had breached the contractual bond by joining Bersatu following the Sheraton Move in late February 2020.
The party said it was invoking Section 71 of the Contracts Act 1950 to establish its right to recover compensation for benefits Zuraida enjoyed as Ampang MP and by being appointed minister.
In her defence, Zuraida claimed the bond was “unconstitutional”, adding that PKR could not enforce its terms as they breached her freedom of association guaranteed under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution.
PKR was represented by lawyers Navpreet Singh, William Leong and Chiew Choon Man while Nurul Najwa Zainuddin appeared for Zuraida.
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