Judge named for Sungai Udang polls dispute

 

The Sungai Udang state constituency has a substantial number of army voters, according to Barisan Nasional’s Mohamad Ali Mohamad. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: High Court judge Azman Abdullah, who is based in Seremban, has been appointed election judge in a petition filed by Barisan Nasional candidate Mohamad Ali Mohamad to nullify the outcome of the polls in Sungai Udang, Melaka.

Senior federal counsel S Narkunavathy confirmed this after lawyers appeared before Azman during a case management in Melaka today.

The Chief Judge of Malaya usually appoints an election judge from outside a state where a seat is located to preside over any dispute.

In a text message to FMT, Narkunavathy, who is representing the Election Commission (EC) and the returning officer, said Azman had fixed Feb 7 and 11 to hear preliminary objections by the respondents.

It is learnt that the EC and returning officer want to be removed as respondents as they did not breach any law or regulation in conducting the elections.

Ali, who lost the seat by a 530-vote majority in a four-cornered fight, named the eventual winner, Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) Dr Mohd Aleef Yusof, as the first respondent.

He claimed that the victory was sullied as there were elements of bribery.

He wants the result to be nullified and the court to make orders it deems fit, including costs.

In his petition, Ali said deputy defence minister Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz, the Tanah Merah MP from PN, had assisted Aleef to win the seat, which has a substantial number of army voters.

Ikmal left Umno to join Bersatu following the last general election (2014).

Ali said Aleef was a former Hang Tuah Jaya Umno Youth committee member who left the party to join Bersatu, who nominated him for the Sungai Udang seat.

He also claimed that Aleef had committed corrupt practices in connection with the elections, with full knowledge or consent or by any of his agents, which is an offence under Section 32(c) of the Election Offences Act.

The court has the power to declare the seat vacant if a candidate is found to have indulged in such practices.

Ali alleged that Aleef and/or Ikmal had presented gifts in cash or in other forms to alter the outcome of the election result in the Sungai Udang constituency. - FMT