KUALA LUMPUR: Former PKR vice-president Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin signed a RM10mil bond with the political party of her own free will six years ago, the High Court here heard.
PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the bond signed on April 25, 2018 was a requirement for candidates who were chosen to contest on the party ticket and this was known by Zuraida.
"At no time (did she) raise any objection to the requirement," he said in his witness statement on Wednesday (March 29).
Saifuddin is the first witness in the trial of a lawsuit regarding Zuraida's alleged breach of bond, where the party is seeking to claim the RM10mil from her following her involvement in the Sheraton Move in February 2020.
According to Saifuddin, RM10mil was the estimate to safeguard the integrity of the party, its good name and reputation.
The estimation was based on factors such as the cost and expenses of office administration and structural organisation for the party in a year, the loss of a member, activist and supporter as well as the loss of ability to recruit new members by the party, among others.
"We cannot deny that a candidate's action, such as the defendant's, in betraying the party has caused damage and losses to the party.
"However, it is hard for the party to make an accurate determination on the exact value of damage and losses that must be compensated by those responsible.
"Therefore, after considering many factors, the party's political bureau (of which Zuraida was also a member) decided that the RM10mil was a pre-estimation that was already agreed upon by the defendant," he said.
Saifuddin, who is currently Home Minister, sued Zuraida on behalf of PKR on Sept 28, 2020.
In the statement of claim, Saifuddin said Zuraida executed a bond where she bound herself to pay the party a sum of RM10mil in accordance with the terms and conditions that had been set.
The conditions included agreeing to pay the party RM10mil no later than seven days upon the occurrence of such events as the resignation of the defendant from the party or joining any other political party, or being an independent elected representative after the defendant won the election on a PKR ticket.
According to the statement of claim, Zuraida, together with 10 other PKR MPs, announced her resignation from the party without resigning from her elected post of Ampang MP on Feb 24, 2020.
He said Zuraida, together with the other MPs, Bersatu, Barisan Nasional, PAS and Gabungan Parti Sarawak and others then formed a new bloc known as Perikatan Nasional.
Zuraida claimed the lawsuit was "an absurd claim to court" and "utterly frivolous".
The trial resumes before High Court judge Justice Akhtar Tahir on Thursday (March 30).
