More polls petitions filed in 4 states - NST

More polls petitions filed in 4 states

IPOH: April 30, 2008

An election petition has been filed at the High Court here, seeking to declare null and void the result of the Kuala Kangsar parliamentary seat which was won by Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz.

Rafidah won the seat by a majority of 1,458 votes, defeating Perak Pas deputy commissioner Dr Khairuddin Abd Malik.

Khairuddin, when contacted by the New Straits Times yesterday, said the petition was filed on Monday afternoon by a voter from Kuala Kangsar.

He said the voter had called into question the decision of returning officer Datuk Mohd Razali Jalal, who accepted Rafidah's nomination papers despite her not signing two of the three nomination forms.

When asked why he himself did not file the petition, Khairuddin said it was not a requirement for him to do so.

In Kuching, a voter and a defeated candidate filed petitions to declare the Bandar Kuching and Sarikei parliamentary election outcomes as null and void.

Kho Whai Piaw, a 54-year-old voter, wants the court to declare the election of Chong Chieng Jen in Bandar Kuching as null and void on grounds of undue influence.

Kho claimed that Chong was guilty of undue influence by using his blog to induce non-Muslim voters to vote for him.

Meanwhile, defeated DAP candidate Wong Hua Seh is seeking to declare the election of Ding Kuong Hiing in Sarikei as null and void on grounds of breaching and/or non-compliance with the provisions in the Elections (Postal Voting) Regulations 2003.

In Alor Star, Pas' candidate for the Belantek state seat, Muhammad Sanusi Md Noor, has filed a petition seeking a declaration that he was the victor. Muhammad Sanusi, who lost to BN's Tajuddin Abdullah, wants the postal votes to be omitted from the count.

In Sabah, at least seven petitions were believed to have been filed by the Opposition and Independent candidates.

Datuk Patrick Sindu, who contested the Papar parliamentary seat, is seeking to oust the winner, Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin, claiming serious misconduct and irregularities during the campaign and on polling day.

It is also understood that Parti Keadilan Rakyat has filed at least four petitions, while the DAP has filed a petition challenging the result of the Sandakan parliamentary seat.

Petitions have also been filed challenging the results of the Pensiangan and Kota Marudu parliamentary and Api-Api, Petagas, Kundasang, Inanam and Bingkor state seats.

Among those who could be affected if the petitions were allowed are Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Dr Maximus J. Ongkili (Kota Marudu), International Trade and Industry deputy minister Datuk Liew Vui Keong (Sandakan), Rural and Regional Development deputy minister Tan Sri Joseph Kurup (Pensiangan) and Sabah Resource Development and Information Technology Minister Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai (Api-Api).