KOTA KINABALU: The fledgling Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) will remain intact despite its president Datuk Peter Anthony being sentenced to three years’ jail for falsifying documents, says a party leader.

       KDM vice-president Martin Tommy said the party would carry on with its political activities under Anthony’s leadership as he appealed against the verdict by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court yesterday.

       Tommy said KDM was formed when the president was already facing a criminal charge and they had anticipated the possibility of him being convicted.

       “As far as the party is concerned, we will continue our political struggle as usual,” he said when contacted.

       The court found Anthony, a former state minister, guilty of using false documents relating to a system maintenance contract for Universiti Malaysia Sabah here nine years ago when he was a businessman.

       He was also fined RM50,000.

       Tommy said the KDM supreme council would meet here soon to discuss the latest development before the president issued a statement.

       “I can’t say more, all I can say now is that the party will remain intact as this situation was anticipated,” he said.

       He added that Anthony remained the Melalap assemblyman and KDM president as the due process of appeals was underway.

       Anthony, together with Limbahau assemblyman Datuk Juil Nuatim, quit opposition Parti Warisan Sabah led by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal in December last year to throw their support behind the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS)-Barisan Nasional state government.

       On March 13, Anthony launched KDM with Juil as his deputy president. However, the party’s application to be with GRS has yet to be accepted.