2 more BN reps seek to strike out election petitions

The election petitions were filed against Umno’s Kimanis MP Anifah Aman and PBS’ Kiulu assemblyman Joniston Bangkuai.

Former beauty queen Jo-Anna Sue Henley Rampas had unsuccessfully contested the Kiulu state seat. (Facebook pic)

KOTA KINABALU: Two Barisan Nasional elected representatives are submitting preliminary objections in a bid to strike out election petitions filed by Parti Warisan Sabah against them.

Umno’s Anifah Aman, a former federal minister, will seek to strike out a petition filed by Warisan’s Karim Bujang for the Kimanis parliamentary seat while PBS Supreme Council member Joniston Bangkuai will fight the petition filed by former beauty queen Jo-Anna Sue Henley Rampas for the Kiulu state seat.

Warisan is seeking to nullify BN’s victory in the 14th general election in these seats.

Anifah, the returning officer (RO) and the Election Commission (EC) were named as the first, second and third respondents respectively in the petition filed by Karim, who lost to Anifah.

Karim is seeking a declaration that Anifah was not duly elected as MP for Kimanis and the election held on May 9 was void.

Election Court judge Supang Lian, during mention proceedings of the petition in chambers today, was informed that the respondents would be raising preliminary objections in a bid to strike out the election petitions.

She directed the respondents to file and serve their preliminary objections seven days from Aug 21, failing which they would be taken to have waived the right to file such an application.

Supang also set dates for the parties to exchange submissions and fixed Sept 20 for hearing of the preliminary objection.

Earlier, the court fixed Sept 14 for decision of the petitioner’s amendment application of the election petition to include further allegations of illegal practice and another application for recovery of further documents.

The petitioner is represented by counsel Raymond Szetu, Song Wei Wan, Tiong Jia Yi, Thong Fei Eng and Chua Kuan E. The first respondent is represented by counsel Tengku Fuad Tengku Ahmad and Ridwandean Borhan.

The second and third respondents were represented by counsel Japar Estaban, Muammar Julkarnain, Faizal Sarbi and Abdul Fikri Abdullah.

As for Bangkuai, Supang directed the respondents to file and serve their respective preliminary objections, also by Aug 21.

She fixed Sept 19 to hear the matter.

Bangkuai, the returning officer and the EC were named as the first, second and third respondents respectively.

Jo-Anna is represented by counsel Mary Florence Gomez, Edina Sung Burngoh and Hon Yi Vun, while Joniston is represented by Tengku Fuad and the RO and EC were represented by Japar, Muammar, Syarulnizam Salleh and Shahlan Jufri.

Previously, former chief minister and Sungai Sibuga rep Musa Aman and Umno’s Libaran MP Zakaria Mohd Edris had also filed notices to strike out election petitions by Warisan on their respective seats.

The hearing for both applications have been set for Sept 4. -FMT