PUTRAJAYA: The hearing of the final appeal by former Sabah infrastructure development minister Datuk Peter Anthony to set aside his conviction, prison sentence, and fine for forging a letter regarding a maintenance and service work contract at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) has been postponed to Aug 1.
A three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal consisting of Justices Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, and Azmi Ariffin postponed the hearing, which had been fixed for Thursday (July 18), after allowing the prosecution’s application.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin requested the postponement to give time for the prosecution to examine the issues raised by the appellant (Peter).
"The court allowed the postponement and the respondent (prosecutor) can file additional submissions, if any," said Justice Ahmad Zaidi.
Lawyer Datuk Nicholas Kow Eng Chuan, representing Peter, did not object to the postponement but requested that an early date be set by the court for the appellant to clear his name before the upcoming Sabah state election.
Met by reporters after the proceedings, Wan Shaharuddin said that Peter had filed a representation to the Attorney General’s Chamber (AGC) last May to set aside his conviction and sentence, but it was dismissed.
On April 19, 2023, Peter filed an appeal to set aside the conviction and sentence of three years imprisonment and a fine of RM50,000 or 15 months imprisonment, which was handed down by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on May 26, 2022.
The Melalap assemblyman previously failed in his appeal at the High Court on April 18 last year, and this is Peter's final appeal at the Court of Appeal.
High Court Judge Datuk Ahmad Bache, who dismissed Peter's appeal, agreed with the trial judge's finding that Peter falsified a document to get a project at UMS, even though he knew the project was through an open tender.
Peter, the managing director of Syarikat Asli Jati Sdn Bhd, was charged with falsifying a letter from the office of the UMS vice-chancellor dated June 9, 2014, which included false statements, with the intention to deceive.
The act was allegedly committed in the office of the principal private secretary to the Prime Minister at Perdana Putra building, Putrajaya between June 13 and Aug 21, 2014, according to Section 468 of the Penal Code which provides for a maximum prison sentence of seven years and a fine.
However, Peter, who is Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Malaysia (KDM) president, has paid the fine of RM50,000. – Bernama
