“If anyone knows anything about me, they would know I’m not into money politics,” he told FMT.
The former PKR vice-president was responding to a story in “Sayang Sabah”, a Sabah news portal, which bore the headline: “Naib Presiden PKR Kena Bayar RM5 Juta Lompat Parti?”
The story from Sayang Sabah was taken from Agenda Daily, which based its article on a Facebook post by Badrul Hisham Shaharin, better known as Chegubard.
Chegubard wrote that any PKR candidate who pulled out before nomination day or jumped ship after the candidate won the seat in the 2008 General Election must pay RM5 million in compensation.
He went on to wonder if Leiking had paid PKR RM5 million for leaving the party.
Leiking said the headline gave the impression that he either was paid to jump ship or had to pay for leaving PKR.
“I hope Sayang Sabah can clear the air about this, otherwise I am forced to take legal action.”
He also added that technically, he did not defect to another party as the party he is working on, alongside former Umno minister Shafie Apdal, had not been formally announced.
The first-term Member of Parliament also pointed out that his split with PKR was amicable, stressing that party President Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail not only accepted his resignation, but understood his reasons for doing so.
In a related matter, Sabah Progressive Party President Yong Teck Lee leapt to Leiking’s defence arguing that the latter need not be fined for leaving PKR.
“He is still in the Opposition, (he is with) a local party in Sabah, fighting for Sabah,” Yong tweeted.