Was Zuraida’s duress defence rejected because the court deemed it baseless?

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Zuraida's Duress Defence Was Rejected as Baseless by the Court

The Court of Appeal has scheduled July 1 of the following year to hear Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin's appeal against a High Court decision that ordered her to pay RM10 million to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) for a bond breach. This ruling stems from the High Court's finding that Zuraida's defence of signing the bond under duress or coercion was without merit. The court concluded that the bond constituted a valid agreement obligating Zuraida to pay the stipulated RM10 million upon her membership termination.
High Court Ruling on the Bond's Validity

The High Court in Kuala Lumpur, on June 23 this year, ordered Zuraida to pay RM10 million to PKR, upholding the party's lawsuit. Justice Datuk Akhtar Tahir found the bond to be a valid and binding contract. Consequently, Zuraida, the former Ampang Member of Parliament, was also ordered to pay RM50,000 in legal costs.
PKR's Lawsuit and Zuraida's Agreement

PKR's lawsuit, filed by secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail on September 28, 2020, sought RM10 million from Zuraida for allegedly breaching a bond that tied her to the party. The party claimed Zuraida signed a bond on April 25, 2018, agreeing to pay RM10 million under specific conditions. These conditions included paying the sum if she resigned from PKR, joined another party, or became an independent representative after winning an election on a PKR ticket.
Zuraida's Defence and Court's Rejection

In her defence, Zuraida asserted that she was compelled to sign the bond to secure her candidacy for the 14th General Election in 2018. However, Justice Akhtar stated that Zuraida's contention of signing under duress or coercion was baseless. The judge affirmed that the bond was a valid agreement binding Zuraida to the RM10 million payment upon the termination of her membership, attributing the reputational damage to her own misconduct.

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Was Zuraida’s duress defence rejected because the court deemed it baseless?

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