Hulu Selangor poll petition: Court to hear Zaid's objection first

Hulu Selangor MP P Kamalanathan's bid to strike out former minister in the Prime Minister's Department Zaid Ibrahim's poll petition to challenge last April's by-election result will first hear the PKR candidate's preliminary objection today.

This follows an application by Zaid on July 15 stating that there should not be any bid for the High Court to hear the striking out in election petition cases.

Election judge Justice Azahar Mohamed will first decide on the preliminary objection raised by Zaid and should he allow it, then Kamalanathan's striking out application will not be heard.

On the other hand, if the election judge rejects Zaid's preliminary objection, the court will proceed to hear Kamalanathan's striking out application.

Zaid, who is PKR supreme council member, has filed the election petition on May 24 to declare the result of the April 25 Hulu Selangor by-election null and void.

Zaid, lost in the by-election where he alleged that corruption had taken place in the form of bribery, including promises made by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to provide allocations to the voters if BN wins.

He alleged that Kamalanathan knew of the promises. Both Zaid and Kamalanathan are present in court today.

Cheques give to voters

The focal point of the case is Najib's promise of RM3 million to SRJK (C) Rasa School and the presentation of cheques to the Felda settlers.

Zaid, who lost to Kamalanathan by a 1,725-vote margin, named Kamalanathan, returning officer Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan and the Election Commission as the respondents.

Kamalanathan had applied to strike out the petition on the grounds that it was trivial and an abuse of the court process.
He said that Zaid had also failed to identify the people whom he said had been offered with bribes.

Kamalanathan is represented by Mohd Hafarizam Harun, Firoz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin while senior federal counsel Suzana Atan, and Mohd Azhar Mohd Yusof appear for Nor Hisham and the EC.

Zaid is represented by Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, Ang Hean Leng, Leong Sher How and Azahar Azizan Harun.

Election petition matters must be disposed within six months from the date of filing.