Fashion designer Jovian Mandagie’s appeal to set aside a RM5.28 million bankruptcy order has been dismissed by the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has dismissed fashion designer Datuk Jovian Mandagie’s appeal to set aside a bankruptcy order against him. The order was issued due to his failure to repay a RM5.28 million friendly loan to engineering firm Cekap Air Sdn Bhd.

Lawyer Siti Nur Athirazatti Rohizad, representing Cekap Air, confirmed the court also rejected Jovian’s application to stay the bankruptcy order. “The court dismissed the appeal to set aside the creditors’ petition and to stay the bankruptcy order with costs totalling RM10,000,” she told reporters.

The bankruptcy order was initially issued by Senior Assistant Registrar Muhammad Faisal Zulkifli on July 3 last year. It followed a creditors’ petition filed by Cekap Air on November 20, 2024.

Cekap Air had filed a bankruptcy notice on May 21, 2024, after Jovian failed to comply with a direct judgment. That judgment, ordering repayment, was given by the High Court on April 2, 2024.

Judge Datuk Ahmad Fairuz Zainol Abidin had ordered Jovian to pay the loan after allowing Cekap Air’s application for a direct judgment. A direct judgment is obtained through written submissions without a full trial.

According to the bankruptcy petition, Jovian failed to pay RM5,284,340.66 as ordered by the court. Cekap Air originally sued Jovian on May 16, 2023, for allegedly failing to repay a RM5 million loan.

The company claimed it lent Jovian the money on February 25, 2022, based on his friendship with its director, Yong Zhen Wei. The funds were transferred to the client account of Jovian’s law firm and were to be repaid within 12 months.

Cekap Air stated the loan was made verbally and casually based on friendship. It claimed there was no reason to doubt Jovian as he owned several other businesses.

The company alleged Jovian breached the loan agreement and failed to repay the money, causing it losses. Jovian had filed a statement of defence on June 20, 2023.

 The Sun Malaysia