The Election Court in Kota Kinabalu dismissed with costs, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)'s petition to nullify the 13th general election result for the Kota Marudu parliamentary seat won by the Barisan Nasional (BN).      

Justice Yew Jen Kee said petitioner Maijol Mahap's contention that his election agent did not receive the Form 14 in which were recorded each candidate's vote tally and the number of spoiled votes, had no bearing on the election result.     

Yew noted that no objection was raised to the polling centre head in regard to the issue.      

The Kota Marudu returning officer Luvita Koisun had also collected all the Form 14 which were verified and sent by the polling centre head, said the judge who ordered the petitioner to pay RM80,000 costs to the second and third respondents.     

Maijol had named Energy, Green Technology and Water minister Maximus Ongkili, Luvita and the Election Commission (EC) as the first, second and third respondent respectively.         

Last Aug 13, Yew struck out the allegation of corruption against Maximus in the petition but maintained him as a respondent.     

Maximus obtained 15,168 votes to win the seat with a majority of 842 votes,  in a four-cornered challenge against Maijol who obtained 14,326 votes, Star candidate Majamis Timbong (2,228 votes) and SAPP's Yuntau alias Kuntau Kolod (444 votes); there were 911 spoiled votes.     

The minister was represented by Chin Teck Ming, while Luvita and the EC by senior federal counsel Mahiran Mohd Isa and Zawawi Ghazali, and Maijol by Fulton Mark Sitiwin.     

- Bernama