Kuala Lumpur: Former PKR vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin has filed an appeal against a judgment handed down by the High Court ordering her to pay the party RM10 million in damages for breaching a bond she signed six years ago.
The notice of appeal challenging the June 23 ruling was filed on Monday.
PKR’s lawyer Navpreet Singh, however, told FMT his firm has yet to be served with Zuraida’s notice of appeal.
Last month, Justice Akhtar Tahir ruled in favour of PKR after finding that the party had succeeded in proving its claim against Zuraida.
“The purpose of the bond is to deter (party) members, especially elected candidates, from acting against the interest of the party before or after an election.
“A lesser sum will not act as a deterrent,” the judge had said.
The court 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 said.
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 a minister.
In her defence, Zuraida claimed that the bond was “unconstitutional”. She said PKR could not enforce its terms as they breached her freedom of association guaranteed under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution.
