Peter was quoted by Sinar Harian as saying that his lawyer had served a statement of claim on Zulkarnain Mahdar, who is also chairman of Sabah group Gerakan Kuasa Rakyat Malaysia@G57, on Monday.

“This action follows a post on TikTok that falsely misrepresented my position and tarnished my reputation,” Peter, who is Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) president, told a press conference in Penampang.

He claimed that Zulkarnain had damaged his reputation not only as KDM president, but also as an assemblyman, as well as president of the Sabah Football Association.

Peter said Zulkarnain had defamed him in the TikTok video by suggesting that he was unqualified to hold a ministerial position because he was a “Class A contractor who was also embroiled in corruption”.

He said it was well-known that in seeking to contest in elections, one had to first resign from positions in business entities and agencies.

Peter said he had resigned from all his business roles since 2017, and that this could be verified from records in the Companies Commission of Malaysia as well as the Registrar of Societies Malaysia.

He said the impugned remarks by Zulkarnain portrayed him as a dishonest person, and suggested that he engaged in unethical practices.

Peter, a former Sabah infrastructure development minister, is waiting for the Court of Appeal’s decision on Nov 27 on his bid to overturn his conviction and sentence for falsifying maintenance and service contract documents at Universiti Malaysia Sabah.

This marks Peter’s final appeal after the High Court on April 18, 2023, upheld his conviction, three-year prison sentence and RM50,000 fine imposed by the sessions court on May 26, 2022.

Peter has paid the fine.