By-election looms as Kedah lawmaker denies bankruptcy

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — Kuala Nerang assemblyman Datuk Syed Sobri Syed Hashim was declared a bankrupt last week for failing to pay contributions to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), raising the possibility of a by-election if he does not clear his debt.

The Malaysian Insider has learnt that the Kuala Lumpur High Court declared the Barisan Nasional (BN) lawmaker bankrupt last Friday after his company, Kulim Enterprise, did not pay some RM700,000 in employee contributions when the case began in 2003. Two other company directors have yet to be sentenced, sources said.

It is understood that his political career now rests on whether he will pay up and lift the bankruptcy.

But Syed Sobri denied to The Malaysian Insider that he has been made a bankrupt, saying it was a rumour spread by his political enemies.

“Everything is under control, everything is OK. I don’t know who’s behind this.

“No problem, I don’t know why this has happened. I take this as an accusation by the opposition because of the current Umno annual general assembly,” he told The Malaysian Insider when contacted.

The ruling Umno annual general assembly officially began last night.

Syed Sobri said he might be taking legal action against the people who had spread the rumours intentionally.

When asked to confirm if he had settled his outstanding contributions to the EPF, he said he paid them in stages.

“I had paid gradually, this is an old case... no problem,” he emphasised.

In early November 2008, Syed Sobri was said to be nearly bankrupt for owing money to a bank, but the lawmaker said he has since paid off the debt amounting to RM150,000.

He said his lawyers brought up a plea to put aside the court decision on November 3, 2008, which had declared him bankrupt.

During Election 2008, Syed Sobri defeated PAS candidate Zawawi Ahmad with a majority of 805 votes.

Speculated had him leaving the seat or switching parties early this year, but was also refuted by the Umno deputy chief for Padang Terap.

This was not the first time the Kuala Nerang assemblyman was linked to such speculation.

He was said to be in the same situation in 2009 until Kedah Umno chairman, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, made a statement announcing that Syed Sobri would not quit the position after a heart-to-heart session with him on April 28, 2009.

Last Thursday, Badrol Hisham Hashim, state Umno Youth chief, had asked Syed Sobri to be conscious that he represented BN and should not give the impression that he was an independent lawmaker. - Malaysian Insider