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PUTRAJAYA: Seven aggrieved parties, including former Dewan Rakyat President Pandikar Amin Mulia, have filed petitions to challenge the outcome of Sabah’s state elections on September 26.
The requests are for the Pintasan, Karambunai, Darau, Sindumin, Petagas and Kukusan seats.
“The petitions were presented in the electoral court within 21 days after the results were published on October 6,” an official from the Attorney General’s Office (AGC) told FMT today on condition of anonymity.
The AGC will represent the scrutineers and the EC, who are also named as defendants in the action.
Pandikar contested the newly created Pintasan seat and lost to Fairuz Renddan of Perikatan Nasional-PPBM (PN) in a six-corner contest.
Fairuz won the seat with a majority of 84 votes over runner-up Pandikar de Usno.
The official said that two petitions were submitted for Sindumin’s position.
“One for a candidate who was disqualified for bankruptcy and one for a candidate who lost in the six-corner fight,” the official said.
The Sindumin seat was won by Yusof Yaakob of Warisan.
Warisan’s Ahmad Jais Otong, who lost to Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Yakub Khan by 16 votes in a seven-way fight for the Karambunai seat, also presented a legal challenge.
BN candidate Jumat Idris, who lost to Warisan’s Azhar Matussin by 562 votes in a six-way fight, presented a challenge for Darau’s seat.
A petition was filed for the Kukusan seat won by Rina Jainal from Warisan. She won the seat with a 10-vote majority over Chaya Sulaiman (BN), in a seven-way fight.
Warisan’s Awang Ahmad Shah’s victory in Petagas is also being legally challenged. He won with a 261 majority over PN-PPBM’s runner-up Arsit Sedi in a five-corner fight.
High Court Judge Alwi Abdul Wahab, who is based in Kuching, will be the electoral judge for the Sindumin seat, while Dean Wayne Daly, currently sitting in Miri, will preside over Petagas’ petition.
For the remaining four seats, the court has yet to set a case handling date.
Section 35A of the Election Offenses Act states that all electoral challenges must be completed within six months after the petition is filed.
Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) won the Sabah elections to form the new state government. GRS, made up of PN, BN and PBS won 38 seats, with PN occupying 17 seats, BN (14) and PBS (seven).
Warisan Plus, made up of Warisan, DAP, PKR and Upko, won 32 seats. Another three seats went to independent candidates, who have also lined up with GRS in state government.
