PKR has filed a RM10 million lawsuit against former party vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin for defecting from the party.
The party said it had earlier sent her a letter of demand for the sum on Aug 7, but received no response from the Ampang MP.
Zuraida along with 11 other MPs led by former PKR deputy president Azmin Ali left their party in February to support Bersatu, Umno-BN and GPS in forming Perikatan Nasional.
Following this, several assemblypersons in various states aligned to Azmin also quit the party.
Before being fielded in the 2018 general election, all PKR lawmakers had signed a pledge that they would be fined RM10 million if they defected from the party after being elected an assemblyperson or MP.
In a statement, PKR treasurer Lee Chean Chung said by signing the agreement, Zuraida had acknowledged that using the PKR logo had provided her with substantial value worth more than RM10 million based on the cost the party incurred in promoting the logo.
Lee added that the suit was filed on Sept 28 and that they had attempted to serve the cause papers on Zuraida yesterday and the day before but were unsuccessful.
He said PKR's lawyers would write to Zuraida to appoint solicitors to act on her behalf.
PKR will also commence similar suits against 20 other MPs and assemblypersons who had defected, Lee added.
In a statement later, Zuraida said the lawsuit is a “waste of the court’s time” as the court will not enforce any agreement that breaches the Federal Constitution.
Article 10 of the Federal Constitution deals with freedom of speech, assembly and association.
“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.
She described the “absurd” claim to court as “sensationalism and cheap publicity stunts”.
Zuraida said she had left PKR because it no longer focused on the welfare of the people but on the prime ministerial ambitions of PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.
“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 the 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 added. - Mkini
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