PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said this was a condition stated in an agreement signed by the party’s candidates before contesting in the 14th general election in 2018.

“The defendant (Zuraida) signed the bond of her own free will,” Saifuddin said in his witness statement tendered at the trial conducted online.

The party is suing Zuraida for RM10 million, claiming that she had breached the contractual bond by joining Bersatu following the Sheraton Move in late February 2020.

Saifuddin said he did not receive any letter from Zuraida claiming that she had signed the bond under duress.

He said Zuraida had full knowledge that every party candidate was required to sign the bond.

“At no time did she raise any objection to it,” Saifuddin, who is also the home minister, said.

Testifying as PKR’s first witness, he said Zuraida had full knowledge of the bond requirement as she was a PKR vice-president at the time. She was also a member of the party’s political bureau, he said.

“(Zuraida) attended the political bureau meeting at the PKR headquarters on April 17, 2018 to discuss preparations for the general election.

“Among the matters raised was a manual for candidates prepared by the party’s secretary-general, which specified that a candidate must execute a bond prior to being issued with a letter of authorisation (watikah) to contest in the polls,” he said.

Saifuddin said Zuraida did not raise any objection to the bond at the bureau meeting. On the contrary, he said, she agreed on the need to include such a condition to “control (the candidates’) behaviour.”

He said the RM10 million sum was imposed to safeguard the image of the party that was established in 1998.

He also said PKR had consistently earned goodwill from the public since the 10th general election in 1999.

“For example, the party and its coalition partners had formed state governments in Selangor, Penang, Kedah and Perak after the 12th general election in 2008,” he said.

Saifuddin said the RM10 million figure was necessary to deter any candidate, including Zuraida, from betraying the party.

He said the bond was a valid contract as there was an “offer” by PKR and an “acceptance” by Zuraida.

He disagreed with the defence that the contract went against her right to form associations under the Federal Constitution.

“Since, she joined Bersatu (after leaving PKR), Zuraida is obliged to pay the party the bond sum,” he said.

Saifuddin said the betrayal of elected representatives like Zuraida who crossed over to Bersatu to form a new alliance and a federal government in 2020 was a threat to parliamentary democracy and the existing constitutional scheme.

In its statement of claim, PKR said Zuraida had signed a bond on April 25, 2018, binding her to pay RM10 million to the party as stated in the bond’s terms and conditions.

PKR said Zuraida was required to make the payment within seven days if she resigned from the party, joined any other political party or became an independent MP.

The party claimed that on Feb 24, 2020, Zuraida announced her resignation from the party without quitting as Ampang MP.

She eventually aided in the formation of a new political coalition known as Perikatan Nasional.

Lawyer Navpreet Singh is appearing for PKR and Saifuddin, while Nizamuddin Hamid represented Zuraida.

The hearing before Justice Akhtar Tahir continues.