PAS decided against appealing the nullification of its Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat win as it does not want voters to be without an MP pending the appeal process.
PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said the decision was adopted in today's party central committee meeting.
"By law, we have the right to appeal against the ruling. If we had appealed, we would have to wait a few months until the case goes to the Federal Court.
"As a responsible party which administers Terengganu, we don't want the rakyat to be neglected for five or six months, without an MP," Sinar Harian quoted him telling reporters after attending the party's central committee meeting in Kuala Terengganu.
Also present at the meeting were PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, his deputy Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man; vice-presidents Idris Ahmad, Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, and Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, as well as PAS election director Sanusi Mohd Noor.
Takiyuddin was commenting on the decision by the Kuala Terengganu election court on June 27 to nullify PAS candidate Ahmad Amzad Hashim’s victory in Kuala Terengganu in the 15th general election (GE15).
High Court judge Mohd Firuz Jaffril made a ruling allowing an election petition by BN’s constituency candidate Mohd Zubir Embong.
The judge also, among others, ruled that there was an element of bribery in the distribution of financial aid from the state government - via the i-Belia and i-Student initiatives - before GE15.
May field the same candidate
Meanwhile, Takiyuddin did not rule out the possibility of PAS fielding Ahmad Amzad again for the Kuala Terengganu seat.
"We have verified that the court ruling only nullifies PAS' victory in the Kuala Terengganu seat on Nov 19, but the candidate involved can contest again.
"So we have no problem - chances are the same candidate will be retained (to contest), and we are confident of winning (the seat) based on the support received by the candidate in the last election,' said Takiyuddin.
He added that PAS is ready to face a parliamentary by-election to fill the seat's vacancy simultaneously with the state election on Aug 12.
According to him, the Election Commission (EC) has the experience and skills to simultaneously hold a by-election and state election.
"We have three more weeks before nomination day. We are confident that the EC can handle both elections at the same time."
Besides Kuala Terengganu, Marang, and Kemaman, BN filed election petitions to challenge the GE15 results for Gua Musang, Putrajaya, Masjid Tanah, and Segamat.
However, The High Court in Kuala Terengganu upheld PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s victory for the Marang parliamentary constituency during GE15.
BN has taken the case to the Court of Appeal. - Mkini
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