Pakatan Rakyat in Perak have to bear nearly RM1 million in costs for all their 11 election petitions in the state, which were all rejected on technical grounds.
DAP’s Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming said that the total cost awarded by the courts against Pakatan came to RM965,000.
The highest amount of costs awarded was for the election petition for the Tapah parliamentary seat, which was RM150,000.
This is followed by two election petitions in Pasir Panjang, which each incurred RM120,000 in costs, and Selama, where Pakatan were ordered to pay RM110,000 in costs.
DAP’s Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming said that the total cost awarded by the courts against Pakatan came to RM965,000.
The highest amount of costs awarded was for the election petition for the Tapah parliamentary seat, which was RM150,000.
This is followed by two election petitions in Pasir Panjang, which each incurred RM120,000 in costs, and Selama, where Pakatan were ordered to pay RM110,000 in costs.
Nga pointed out that under the Election Offences Act 1954, the judge is not allowed to award costs but to tax it before the registrar.
“The decision by the Election Court sent a very wrong message to the rakyat that the court will penalise or punish the petitioners should anyone wish to challenge the result of the elections, irregardless of whether it is conducted in a fraudulent manner,” Nga said in a statement today.
Nga stressed that even the judiciary is not above the law.
“I wish to state that the judiciary is not above the law and the people will judge their conduct and should they fail to uphold justice, they are not fit to judge others. The cardinal principle is that, “Justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done”. In this respect, unfortunately, it fails miserably,” he added.
“I urge the Chief Justice, Arifin Zakaria, to explain to the rakyat whether there was any secret meeting called among the judges to issue a directive that the election petition shall be dismissed summarily so as not to affect the status quo, or was there any directive from a third party to the judges that all election petitions filed by Pakatan Rakyat shall be dismissed?” Nga questioned.
“No one is allowed to interfere in the process of decision making, even the Chief Justice himself,” he added.
“The decision by the Election Court sent a very wrong message to the rakyat that the court will penalise or punish the petitioners should anyone wish to challenge the result of the elections, irregardless of whether it is conducted in a fraudulent manner,” Nga said in a statement today.
Nga stressed that even the judiciary is not above the law.
“I wish to state that the judiciary is not above the law and the people will judge their conduct and should they fail to uphold justice, they are not fit to judge others. The cardinal principle is that, “Justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done”. In this respect, unfortunately, it fails miserably,” he added.
“I urge the Chief Justice, Arifin Zakaria, to explain to the rakyat whether there was any secret meeting called among the judges to issue a directive that the election petition shall be dismissed summarily so as not to affect the status quo, or was there any directive from a third party to the judges that all election petitions filed by Pakatan Rakyat shall be dismissed?” Nga questioned.
“No one is allowed to interfere in the process of decision making, even the Chief Justice himself,” he added.
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