A new twist has emerged in the lawsuit filed by travel agency YHA Travel & Tours (M) Sdn Bhd over unpaid travel bills against Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali.
In a counterclaim filed by Azmin’s lawyers Messrs Daim & Gamani, it is alleged that suit had an ulterior motive, linked to the alleged gay-sex video between the PKR deputy president and Haziq Abdullah Abdul Aziz.
The filing, which was made on Dec 13 referred to the footage as the “fitnah videos”.
It said that the travel agency’s majority shareholder Yasmin Hanim Arbee and her husband, chairperson Mohd Ayub Hassan were the parents of Mohd Haziq Hassan Mohd Ayub.
Haziq had been arrested in connection with the police probe into the sex video.
The countersuit said Haziq’s parents are “very close” to PKR president Anwar Ibrahim and suggested that the suit was filed in order to damage Azmin politically.
“The filing of this suit by the plaintiff (YHA) is not for the vindication of the plaintiff’s rights but for some ulterior purpose that is designed to harm the defendant (Azmin),” it said.
“The conspiracy in relation to the ‘fitnah videos’ was orchestrated by the leader of a political party,” it also said.
The countersuit also alleged that YHA’s statement of claim had been leaked to Sarawak Report, who could not have been privy to the filing, thus supporting the claim of an ulterior motive.
Azmin is seeking damages, costs and any further relief provided by the court.
YHA had sued Azmin last month for the recovery of RM328,901 for unpaid flight tickets and hotel stays, which included private trips by Azmin’s family and his trip to Sandakan during a by-election.
In his statement of defence, Azmin said he had a 20-year-long friendly business relationship with the travel agency, which gave him “considerable latitude in settling any outstanding sum” and that the suit had breached their “understanding”.
Azmin denied owing YHA RM328,901 but accepted liability for RM162,272 comprising RM41,752 in bills on his account and more than RM60,000 each for his two underage sons.
He denied liability for the accounts of his adult son and three adult daughters, and also denied liability for the travel account of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. He denied any knowledge of an account in the name of Wan Putera Shahjuan Dato W Salihudin and denied liability for the sum of RM2,570 claimed by the agency.
Azmin said his children who are older than 20 will have to pay for the sum owed themselves.
Similarly, he said he is also not liable for any sum due under the Economic Affairs Ministry’s account.