KOTA KINABALU: Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) will continue its political struggle despite its president Datuk Peter Anthony’s failed attempt to appeal to overturn his forgery conviction.
Acting president Priscella Peter said the court decision on Wednesday (Aug 20) would only fuel its drive to create a breakthrough in the upcoming Sabah elections instead.
“Honestly, we are disappointed with the court ruling.
“However, this will not weaken us but instead fuel our spirit to fight harder,” she said in a statement on Thursday (Aug 21).
ALSO READ: Former Sabah minister Peter Anthony's appeal rejected in forgery case, remains in prison
She said the party remains firm on going into the state election solo, and is fully prepared to face the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government.
She said Parti KDM is gaining more support by the day, with many on the ground approaching its members.
On Wednesday, the Court of Appeal denied Peter’s final attempt to have his conviction and three-year prison sentence overturned.
A three-judge panel chaired by Justice Azman Abdullah unanimously ruled that there was no merit in his revision application.
Peter, 54, had applied to have the court revise a decision by an earlier panel on March 4, which upheld his conviction and sentence.
ALSO READ: Peter Anthony’s daughter Priscella to lead Parti KDM after his imprisonment
The former Sabah minister was initially convicted and sentenced by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court in May 2022.
On April 18, 2023, the Kuala Lumpur High Court upheld the conviction and sentence.
He had been accused, in his capacity as managing director of Asli Jati Sdn Bhd, of falsifying a letter from the office of the Universiti Malaysia Sabah deputy vice-chancellor dated June 9, 2014, by inserting false statements with the intent to deceive.
