Nenggiri heads to polls on Aug 17

 

The Election Commission (EC) has set Aug 17 as the polling day for the Nenggiri by-election.

EC chairperson Ramlan Harun announced Aug 3 as the nomination day while early voting is fixed for Aug 13.

An allocation of RM1.6 million will be used for the by-election, he told a press conference in Putrajaya today.

“To carry out the by-election process for the N43 seat, the EC has appointed an election management officer who will be aided by three assistant election officers.

“For monitoring election campaign activities in the duration of official by-election campaigning, the EC has established two by-election campaign enforcement teams comprising representatives from the police, local authorities and representatives of candidates,” he said.

Postal voting applications open today, he added, with deadlines as follows:

• 1A category voters (those on duty on polling day, including police officials, election officials and media workers): July 30

• 1B category voters (Malaysians based overseas): July 23

• 1C category voters (agencies and organisations): July 23

Injunction denied

Yesterday, the Kuala Lumpur High Court denied an ad-interim injunction application by former Nenggiri assemblyperson Mohd Azizi Abu Naim to prevent the upcoming by-election.

Azizi was seeking a temporary restraining order to maintain the status quo between parties, pending the disposal of his lawsuit challenging the validity of his party membership cessation, which led to the Nenggiri state seat in Kelantan falling vacant.

Mohd Azizi Abu Naim

Bersatu informed the state speaker on June 12 that Azizi’s membership had ceased and subsequently, the Nenggiri seat fell vacant.

Azizi, who is also Gua Musang MP, was among seven Bersatu lawmakers whose party memberships ceased for voicing support for the Madani government.

Aside from Azizi, the other representatives whose party memberships have ceased were Labuan MP Suhaili Abdul Rahman, Bukit Gantang MP Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal, Tanjong Karang MP Zulkafperi Hanapi, Jeli MP Zahari Kechik, Kuala Kangsar MP Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid, and Selat Klang assemblyperson Abdul Rashid Asari.

Azizi contested under the PAS banner for the Perikatan Nasional coalition in the last general election.

Bersatu earlier amended its party constitution to stipulate that any elected representative who defected would automatically cease to be a party member.

In doing so, the defectors would also trigger the anti-hopping law per Article 49A of the Federal Constitution and their seats would be vacated.

The Registrar of Societies approved the amendment to Bersatu’s constitution in April.

On May 17, Bersatu instructed all its elected representatives to reaffirm their loyalty to the party, with a special committee reviewing their loyalty pledges.

Party president Muhyiddin Yassin had warned that disobedience would result in the automatic cessation of their membership. - Mkini