SHAH ALAM, August 14: Only after Opposition Leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim made ‘noise’ criticising the rejection of the election results petition, the case by the People’s Justice Party (PKR) went on trial.
N Surendran said that the development was believed to be due to Anwar describing the court’s decision in relation to the election petition as giving an ugly picture.
The PKR Vice-President was referring to the Election Court’s decision today to accept the petition for the Kota Merudu Parliamentary seat to go on trial, two days after the PKR De Facto Leader’s press conference.
The Padang Serai MP hopes that more petitions filed by Pakatan Rakyat will go on trial at the Election Court because it is believed that most of the cases are strong.
“We hope that there will be changes after this is done by the judiciary because petitions are made accompanied by convincing evidence.
“It should be heard and not outright rejected,” he told TVSelangor this afternoon.
The Election Court allowed for the PKR petition for the Kota Merudu to go on trial – the first time for a seat won by BN in the 13th General Election.
The seat was won by BN candidate from PBS, Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili, who defeated the PKR candidate, Datuk Maijol Mahab and two other candidates.
Ongkili won with a majority of 842 votes after securing 15,168 votes against Maijol (14,326 votes), Majamis Timbong (2,228 votes) and Yuntau Kolod (444 votes).
This is the second petition received by the court to be tried after passing the first stage.
Previously, the same judge allowed for the petition submitted by BN against PKR candidate, Datuk Seri Panglima Lajim Ukim, for the Klias state seat in Sabah to go on trial.