PKR restores ex-Segamat MP’s membership, but says his RM10m bond liability remains.
PETALING JAYA: PKR has reinstated Datuk Seri Dr Edmund Santhara Kumar, the former Segamat MP, as a member more than six years after he left the party during the political turmoil that followed the Sheraton Move.
However, the party has said his reinstatement does not affect the RM10 million bond it claims he is liable to pay.
A letter to Santhara from PKR secretary-general Datuk Dr Fuziah Salleh, which is circulating among party circles, said the 12th Central Leadership Council approved his appeal for reinstatement at a meeting on Sept 27.
The letter said his membership had been restored and that he could resume party activities and duties, subject to the party’s constitution, rules and current decisions. Party sources have since confirmed that the letter is genuine.
The letter, dated Sept 30, also stated that PKR continued to hold him accountable for a bond he signed on April 24, 2018, treating his party membership and contractual obligation as separate matters.
It also stated that any issues arising from the matter were subject to discussion with the party’s treasurer-general and president.
PKR sued Santhara and five other former MPs at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Feb 19, 2026, seeking RM10 million from each of them over alleged breaches of the bond. The other defendants are Baru Bian, Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar, Datuk Mansor Othman, Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon and Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.
A second suit, filed on Feb 27, targets 10 former state assemblymen, also seeking RM10 million from each. They are Abdul Yunus Jamhari, Datuk Azman Nasrudin, Dr Afif Bahardin, Dr Chong Fat Full, Dr Daroyah Alwi, Haniza Mohamed Talha, Muhammad Hilman Idham, Muhammad Jailani Khamis, Robert Ling Kui Ee and Zulkifli Ibrahim.
Court papers name Fuziah, in her capacity as secretary-general, as the plaintiff in both cases. PKR’s suits allege that the defendants breached the terms of bonds they had signed before contesting in the 14th general election.
According to PKR’s statement of claim, the defendants signed bonds committing them to pay RM10 million within seven days if certain events occurred, including quitting the party, joining another political party or becoming an independent representative.
PKR said the defendants ceased to be party members on Feb 24, 2020, after winning seats on its ticket and supporting a political coalition other than PKR. The party said it subsequently resolved on March 11, 2020 to terminate their memberships with immediate effect and issued confirmation certificates on March 16.
It is learnt that similar reinstatement letters were also issued to Kamarudin and another former PKR MP. However, as of press time, Fuziah had yet to confirm the reinstatements.
Santhara won the Segamat parliamentary seat for PKR in the 2018 general election and joined Bersatu in August 2020. He said at the time that he had been sacked for supporting then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, rather than having quit the party.
He later backed Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister, served as a deputy minister, then left Bersatu and joined Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) in October 2022.
Asked by theSun about his status, PBM president Datuk Larry S’ng confirmed that Santhara had joined the party but said he did not know whether he was still a member.
S’ng added that Santhara did not contest in the general election.
