KUALA TERENGGANU – The high court here today dismissed a preliminary objection by Kuala Terengganu MP Datuk Amzad Hashim to an election petition seeking to annul his victory in the 15th general election.
The election petition was filed by Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Mohd Zubir Embong.
Judge Datuk Seri Mohd Firuz Jaffril made the decision in an online proceeding after considering submissions from both parties.
The court set 20 days, from April 3, to hear the petition.
Amzad was represented by lawyers Wan Rohimi Wan Daud, Saifuddin Othman, Mohd Nasir Embong and Azrul Rizal, while lawyers Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun, Muhammad Amin Othman, Mohamed Baharudeen Mohamed Ariff and Norhazira Abu Haiyan represented Zubir.
On January 3 this year, Terengganu Umno filed a petition at the Kuala Terengganu High Court to annul the GE15 results of the Marang, Kuala Terengganu and Kemaman parliamentary seats in accordance with the Election Offences Act 1954.
According to Terengganu Umno chief Datuk Seri Ahmad Said, among the points raised in the petition were allegations that PAS had bribed voters by distributing financial aid from the state government through the i-Pencen, i-Belia and i-Siswa initiatives between November 15 and 17, 2022, which was just a few days before GE15.
Amzad won the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat in GE15 with a majority of 40,907 votes, defeating three other challengers including Zubir. – Bernama, February 17, 2023
