12 Aug, 2008
But party says the suit should have been directed at Barisan
(Today Online) - As Malaysia's United Malays National Organisation (Umno) braced itself for the tough Permatang Pauh by-election against opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, the ruling party has been dealt a fresh blow involving an election campaign scandal four years ago, reported Malaysiakini.
The news portal said in the March 2004 general election, Umno received campaign paraphernalia worth hundreds of millions of ringgit including posters, badges and banners — which it had refused to pay for.
The poll merchandise supplier, Elegant Advisory, has since taken the dispute to court.
Last month, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ordered Umno to pay RM218 million claimed by Elegant Advisory, reported Malaysiakini.
The amount is the highest-ever sum of money that Umno — which is the pillar of ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition — has been ordered to pay by a court of law.
The decision was a judgment in default delivered by the High Court on July 17 after Umno's lawyers failed to appear in court.
In response, Umno's treasurer Abdul Azim Mohd Zabidi filed an application in court on July 24 to set aside the judgment. In his affidavit, he argued that Elegant Advisory had sued the wrong body, reported Malaysiakini.
"I am stating that the defendant, Umno, is not a party which contested in the 11th General Election but it was BN, another registered body," he said in the affidavit.
Umno further argued that the campaign materials in question bore the BN's "dacing" (scale) logo, and not the Umno's logo of a "keris" (the traditional Malay dagger).
Malaysiakini said Elegant Advisory executive director Samsudin Ibrahim recently rebutted Mr Abdul Azim's argument that Umno was wrongly cited in the action.
The company contended that "Umno, as the biggest party in BN, has not only used the keris logo during the election but also used the dacing logo widely. BN is not a legal entity but it's a coalition of political parties, with Umno being its biggest party".
1 comment:
What are they saying Sammy and Koh Tsu koon violated the election rules too. I here everyone boasting about A A Badwi successful election victory yet I did not know all these illegal violations took place - I am not sorry for the victim here as they well knew that they were selling their soul. All that cheap paper and plastic with BN/UMNO screw-ups photos cost so much? Well well BN/UMNO will have to cut back on the borrowed extravagances because our eyes are on the public purse this time and we ain't allowing them one cent not if we can help it. It seems like GOD favour braking this BN/UMNO permanently.
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