KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 27): Perikatan Nasional (PN)’s Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin remains as Masjid Tanah Member of Parliament (MP), as the Election Court in Melaka dismissed Barisan Nasional (BN)’s bid to nullify PN’s victory in the 15th general election (GE15).
Election Court judge Datuk Abu Bakar Katar on Friday dismissed the election petition, as allegations of bribery could not be proven.
“The petition was dismissed with a cost of RM50,000,” lawyer Yusfarizal Yusoff told The Edge when contacted.
Yusfarizal was part of the team of lawyers representing Mas Ermieyati, who is currently Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman.
The team was led by previous de facto law minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan.
BN candidate Abdul Hakim Abdul Wahid filed the petition, alleging that bribery, in the form of money and banquets, was used to woo voters in GE15.
Lawyer Amin Othman, who was part of the team led by Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun representing Abdul Hakim, also confirmed Friday’s outcome when contacted.
In early September, the election court had also issued arrest warrants for two subpoenaed witnesses, who failed to show up to testify in the hearing.
Warrants were issued against Bersatu youth wing’s permanent chairman Akmal Zahin Zainal Zahir and Noor Hashimah Noordin, an ex-private secretary to Masjid Tanah MP Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.
However, it was reported that the petitioner had asked the court to conclude the proceedings, after the arrest warrants could not be served on both Akmal Zahin and Noor Hashimah.
On Feb 7, the Melaka High Court dismissed the election petition brought by Abdul Hakim, after the court accepted the preliminary objection raised by the respondent.
However, on May 2 this year, the apex court ordered for the matter to be sent back to the High Court for its full merits to be heard. A three-member panel led by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat said the pleading in the election petition was sufficient.
In GE15, Bersatu’s Mas Ermieyati won the seat with a majority of 4,411 votes, in a four-cornered fight against Abdul Hakim, Mutalib Uthman (Muda), and Handrawirawan Abu Bakar (GTA -Pejuang).