THE Kuala Lumpur High Court here on Friday dismissed an appeal by fashion designer Jovian Mandagie to set aside a bankruptcy order issued against him over an unpaid “friendly loan” amounting to RM5.28 million inclusive of interest.
The court also rejected his application to stay the bankruptcy order.
Counsel Siti Nur Athirazatti Rohizad, representing engineering construction firm Cekap Air Sdn Bhd, said the court dismissed the appeal with costs of RM10,000.
“The court dismissed the appeal to set aside the creditor’s petition and to stay the bankruptcy order, with costs of RM10,000,” she told reporters after proceedings in chambers before Judge Jamhirah Ali.
The bankruptcy order was initially issued on 3 July last year by Senior Assistant Registrar Muhammad Faisal Zulkifli after allowing a creditor’s petition filed by the company on 20 November 2024.
Earlier, on 21 May 2024, Cekap Air filed a bankruptcy notice after Jovian failed to comply with a summary judgment granted by the High Court on 2 April the same year.
According to the creditor’s petition, the company sought a bankruptcy order against Jovian as debtor for failing to pay RM5,284,340.66, inclusive of interest, as ordered by the High Court.
On 2 April 2024, Judge Datuk Ahmad Fairuz Zainol Abidin allowed Cekap Air’s application for summary judgment, directing the designer to repay the loan. A summary judgment is granted when a case is decided based on written submissions without a full trial or the calling of witnesses.
Cekap Air had filed suit against Jovian on 16 May 2023, alleging that he failed to repay RM5 million borrowed on the basis of a friendly loan. The company’s director, Yong Zhen Wei, was said to be an acquaintance of the designer.
The firm claimed that the RM5 million was lent following an oral request by Jovian on 25 February 2022, with the funds transferred into the client account of a law firm representing him. The loan was to be repaid within 12 months.
With the High Court’s latest ruling, the bankruptcy order remains in force unless overturned by a higher court. - February 20, 2026
