KOTA KINABALU, Aug 28 — Melalap state assemblyman Datuk Peter Anthony has 14 days from the date of the Court of Appeal’s decision on Aug 20 to file a petition for pardon, failing which he will lose his status as an elected representative.
Sabah State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Kadzim M. Yahya said he has until September 2 to submit the pardon petition.
“If he does not file it within the stipulated period, the Melalap state seat will automatically fall vacant on September 3,” he said during a press conference at the Assembly today.
However, Kadzim noted that there would be no by-election for the seat as the Assembly will automatically dissolve on November 11, if it is not dissolved earlier.
Under Article 17(1)(e) of the Sabah State Constitution, any state assemblyman convicted by a court and sentenced to imprisonment of not less than one year or fined not less than RM2,000 will be disqualified as a state assemblyman.
On August 20, the Court of Appeal dismissed Peter’s review application against his conviction and three-year prison sentence for falsifying documents related to a maintenance and service contract at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
As such, the former Sabah infrastructure development minister remains subject to the prison sentence.
On March 4 this year, the Court of Appeal ordered Peter to begin serving his sentence the same day after rejecting his appeal against the conviction, three-year jail term and RM50,000 fine imposed by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court in May 2022.
The 54-year-old paid the fine.
On April 18, 2023, the Kuala Lumpur High Court upheld the conviction and sentence, prompting Peter to file an appeal, which was unsuccessful. He subsequently filed a review application at the Court of Appeal before a different panel of judges.
He was charged in his capacity as managing director of Asli Jati Sdn Bhd with falsifying a letter from the office of the UMS deputy vice-chancellor dated June 9, 2014, by inserting false statements with the intent to deceive.
The offence was committed at the office of the senior private secretary to the Prime Minister, Perdana Putra Building, Putrajaya, between June 13 and August 21, 2014.
