Party threatens to sue over bankruptcy report

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Maijol (seated, third from left) and other supreme council members of the Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah.

Maijol (seated, third from left) and other supreme council members of the Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah.

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Harapan Rakyat’s supreme council is considering filing a defamation suit against parties who recently wrongly reported that the party’s president, Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin has been declared a bankrupt.

The party’s deputy president, Datuk Maijol Mahap said in a press conference yesterday that Lajim was only issued a bankruptcy notice and had not been declared a bankrupt as reported by a television station on January 16.

He alleged that the television station carried the news bearing the title “Mahkamah Tinggi Sabah dan Sarawak isytihar Presiden Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin muflis” (Sabah and Sarawak High Court declares the President of Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin bankrupt” on January 16 and that the television news presenter also read the same heading.

He added that the news can also be read through YouTube.

“Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin is not a bankrupt. The bankruptcy notice is just one of the process towards bankruptcy.

“Someone given the bankruptcy notice under Rule 91 of the Bankruptcy Notice is still not yet a bankrupt. No declaration was made by the High Court that he was a bankrupt. Hence, the statement by the television station was wrong and had intended malice towards him,” said Maijol.

He added that during the party’s supreme council meeting which he chaired yesterday, they decided to unanimously state their stance to support their president to face the challenge in relations to the bankruptcy notice against him.

It was also mentioned to press members in attendance that the party’s supreme council was considering to file a defamation suit against the parties concerned who provided a wrong and defamatory report.

He also said that the party’s supreme council had also decided to raise funds from members of the council and other party members to help pay for the legal fee for the defamation suit.

“We are doing this not because he (Lajim) cannot afford to pay for it but as a sign of our solidarity and support towards our president,” said Maijol.