IPOH, July 30 – The Election Court here Tuesday struck out with costs the petition filed by a voter to declare null and void the result of the 13th general election for the Lubok Merbau state seat which favoured Barisan Nasional.
Judge Datuk Abdul Rahman Sebli made the decision after finding that the petitioner, Abdul Karim Abdul Rashid, had failed to comply with the mandatory regulations and that the petition did not meet Regulation 9 and 34 of the Election Petition Rules 1954.
The regulation states that only the petitioner or his lawyer files the election petition and not the legal firm.
Abdul Rahman ordered Abdul Karim to pay RM60,000 to Lubok Merbau Assemblywoman Datuk Siti Salmah Mat Jusak, who was named the first respondent in the petition.
Abdul Karim was also ordered to pay costs of RM10,000 each to the two other respondents, the Election Commission (EC) and the Returning Officer (RO) for Lubok Merbau, Abdul Halim Hamed.
Siti Salmah was represented by four lawyers who included Datuk Firoz Hussein Ahmad Jamauddin and Abu Bakar As Sidiq, while senior federal counsel Norazmi Narawi, Muhamad Anas Mahadzir and Norinna Bahadon represented the EC and the RO.
Abdul Karim filed the petition last June 12, claiming that, among others, there was element of corruption involved in the election.
Siti Salmah wont the Lubok Merbau seat with a majority of 53 votes against PAS’ Mohd Zainudin Mohd Yusof.
– BERNAMA
