Federal Court grants PKR leave to appeal in Zuraida's bond payment case
PUTRAJAYA : The Federal Court has granted PKR leave to appeal a decision handed down by the Court of Appeal reducing former vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin's liability to the party under a bond from RM10 million to RM100,000.
A three-member bench led by Justice Nallini Pathmanathan delivered the decision in an online proceeding after hearing submissions from the lawyers of both parties.
Also on the panel hearing the leave application were Justices Nordin Hassan and Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera.
The Federal Court agreed to consider one of five legal questions put forward by PKR to secure the right to appeal.
It will examine whether a court can override a factual admission that a certain sum of money represents the value which one party has received from another under a contract, to determine what constitutes reasonable compensation in the circumstances of the case.
The appeal will be heard on a date to be fixed.
PKR was represented by Ranjit Singh, while Azhar Azizan Harun appeared for Zuraida.
In 2020, PKR sued Zuraida, claiming that she had breached a contractual bond by joining Bersatu following the Sheraton Move in February that year.
The terms of the bond required Zuraida to pay PKR RM10 million within seven days if she resigned from the party to join another political party or became an independent candidate.
In her defence, Zuraida claimed that the bond violated her constitutional right to freedom of association.
On June 23, 2023, the High Court found her liable and ordered that she pay PKR RM10 million as stipulated in the bond instrument.
On Dec 11 last year, a three-member Court of Appeal bench led by Justice See Mee Chun affirmed her liability for breaching the bond, but reduced the quantum of compensation to RM100,000, giving rise to the present application to the apex court.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
9 minutes ago
- The Sun
Stories that shaped us
THERE is a question that often arises when something big happens – a historic moment, a national milestone, a collective high. It usually begins like this: 'Where were you when...?' Most of the time, it is not about geography but memory – about anchoring ourselves to something larger, remembering not just what happened but how it made us feel. For me, one such moment was the night of the 1992 Thomas Cup finals. Malaysia versus Indonesia. Badminton, of course. It was a Saturday, and I was a 17-year-old schoolboy at Malay College Kuala Kangsar. I watched it from the common room of our hostel – surrounded by boys in kain pelikat, clutching pillows, Milo mugs and SPM notes – all eyes fixed on a grainy television screen, struggling to keep up with the speed of the shuttle. We won. We brought the cup home after 25 years. And for a few beautiful hours, everything else faded – prep class, homesickness, SPM trial stress – replaced by a kind of joy that felt bigger than sport, bigger than school; something national, something shared. That moment and others like it become personal chapters in a larger story: the story of how we remember Malaysia. Another such chapter came in May 2018, when Malaysians went to the polls in what would become one of the most significant general elections in our history. For the first time, the ruling coalition was changed. Not through force or upheaval but through the quiet, determined power of the vote. People queued in the heat, some for hours. Some travelled across borders, taking buses and flights home just to mark an X on a ballot. There was tension, yes. But there was also something else: hope. Hope that this country belonged to its people – that we were no longer just passengers but co-pilots, that power could change hands peacefully and that we, the rakyat, are the ones responsible for deciding the direction of this country moving forward. You didn't need to be in Putrajaya or Dataran Merdeka to feel it; you could have been watching from a living room in Penang or a mamak stall in Johor Bahru or a hostel room in Sarawak. It did not matter where you were because the moment still reached you. That is what makes these memories powerful. They become shared reference points in the timeline of our lives. Of course, not every Merdeka memory is tied to politics or spectacle. Sometimes, it is quieter – a flag being raised in your neighbourhood, a conversation over teh tarik about what independence really means, a late-night drive on empty roads, with patriotic songs playing softly on the radio. These small moments matter too because nationhood is built not just on events but on experience. It is not just the milestones we remember; it is the way they made us feel connected, even when we were far apart. And that is the thread I keep coming back to: our shared experiences. You and I may have grown up in different towns, spoken different dialects, attended different schools but the moment the Sidek brothers stepped onto the court or when the results rolled in after GE14, we were there – one in spirit. Yet, these memories, whether personal or collective, are slowly fading. We live in an era of fast timelines and short attention spans. Moments come and go, swallowed by algorithms and speed. The things that once glued us together are being replaced by smaller, more personalised stories – meaningful, yes, but often disconnected from the larger whole. That is why I believe now, more than ever, we need to start recording our stories, not for history books, but for each other. For the generations who did not grow up with the Thomas Cup or the Reformasi years or who never saw a transfer of power that felt truly earned. It does not have to be big, just honest. Write about where you were when something mattered. Tell your children what Merdeka meant to your parents. Share with a friend that memory you have always carried but never voiced, because if we don't pass these stories on, who will? So this Merdeka, ask someone: 'Where were you when...?' and listen carefully. Then share your own. Memories, like nationhood, live best when it is passed from hand to hand. Dr Nahrizul Adib Kadri is a professor of biomedical engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, and the principal of Ibnu Sina Residential College, Universiti Malaya. Comments: letters@
Borneo Post
14 hours ago
- Borneo Post
Mustapha rebuked for calling GRS a liability to PH
Jasnih KOTA KINABALU (Aug 17): Pantai Dalit Assemblyman Datuk Jasnih Daya has criticised Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sabah chairman Datuk Mustapha Sakmud for describing Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) as a liability to Pakatan Harapan (PH). Jasnih, who is also Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) Pantai Dalit Division chief, said Mustapha's statement was baseless and potentially damaging to the unity of government coalition partners. 'I am not sure what the basis, motive or objective is for him to label GRS as a liability to PH,' he said in a Facebook post on Sunday. He noted that he has many friends in PKR and PH, but such remarks are rare. He urged Mustapha to be more cautious when making public statements, stressing that reckless comments could backfire. 'Do not get carried away when giving statements, especially those that only highlight weaknesses and damage yourself. Most importantly, do not be a spoiler,' Jasnih said. He also warned that excessive confidence could lead to arrogance, which would undermine a leader's credibility. 'Overconfidence leads to arrogance… and remember, no one is irreplaceable,' he said. Jasnih further advised that differing views should be resolved internally through party channels and leadership structures, instead of being aired publicly in a way that fuels unnecessary polemics. 'If that is what you truly feel, discuss it properly with your leader. InshaAllah, if it is for the best… then we just carry it out,' he said. He reiterated that political stability in Sabah must remain a top priority, as it is closely tied to development initiatives and the wellbeing of the people under the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) policy. Meanwhile, PKR Papar division's women's movement has called for a more mature and responsible political culture, urging leaders to prioritise the people's welfare over rhetoric. Its chief, Shakila Ismail, was responding to remarks by Gagasan Rakyat Youth Kawang Division against Mustapha. Shakila stressed that Mustapha's views should be regarded as part of a healthy and responsible political discourse, not as a political attack. 'Datuk Mustapha's perspective is part of a healthy political dialogue. It should not be seen as an attack, but as a reminder that political cooperation in Sabah must truly benefit the people, especially women, children, and rural communities,' she said. She also cautioned against politicising the recent tragedy involving the late Zara Qairina Mahathir, a 13-year-old student from Papar. 'As leaders, the tragedy of the late Zara Qairina should never be used as a political tool. Instead, all Malaysians and the authorities must unite to uphold justice and implement institutional reforms to prevent such cases from happening again,' she said. According to her, political leaders must show exemplary conduct by engaging in respectful, solution-focused politics rather than finger-pointing. 'We must lead by example, practising politics with wisdom and maturity, focusing on solutions and not rhetoric or blame. The people will judge leaders based on their actions, honesty, and sincerity in defending them,' she said. In her statement, Shakila also outlined three key calls from the movement: prioritising welfare and safety with no compromise in protecting students, women and children; strengthening political cooperation to ensure stability and development in Sabah while safeguarding state rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63); and amplifying Sabah's voice at the national level through the Unity Government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. 'PKR Sabah women's movement remains principled yet firm. Politics must continue to serve as a platform to defend the people, not as a battleground that undermines public confidence,' she emphasised.
The Star
14 hours ago
- The Star
Warisan candidates must sign contract to prevent defections
Parti Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal (second right) welcoming a new member into the party at a gathering in Kudat on Sunday (Aug 17). KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan will require all of its election candidates to sign a binding contract to ensure seats won under the party remain with the party, says its president, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal. 'If a representative wins on Warisan's ticket, the seat stays with Warisan,' he told reporters at a gathering with some 2,500 people in Kudat town on Sunday (Aug 17). Shafie cited the court ruling involving former PKR minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin, who was ordered to pay compensation for leaving her party, saying this should serve as a precedent. Shafie also confirmed Warisan would defend its seat in Tanjung Kapur and field candidates in the other 72 state constituencies. Regarding development, he disclosed plans to allocate 600ha in Kudat for a new port facility that would include ship maintenance, shipbuilding, and fuel supply services. Parti Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal (fourth right) receiving membership forms from former Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah and Sabah STAR members at a gathering in Kudat on Sunday (Aug 17). He also reaffirmed his call for a railway system. On education, Shafie said Warisan was considering replacing student loans with scholarships and said that the state's student loan burden was likely below RM1bil. 'We must produce job creators, not just job seekers,' he said. Shafie reiterated that Warisan remained a Sabah-based party despite claims otherwise, saying its struggle was rooted in the needs and aspirations of Sabahans.
