Most Read
Most Commented
Read more like this
mk-logo
News
EC cancels Pujut by-election
Published:  Jun 19, 2017 8:21 PM
Updated: 3:33 PM

The Election Commission today canceled the Pujut by-election in Sarawak following the Kuching High Court's decision to retain Ting Tiong Choon as Pujut assemblyperson.

The cancellation notice will be displayed at Dewan Suarah Miri and the returning officer's office today, Bernama quoted EC chief Mohd Hashim Abdullah as saying in a statement

He said this following a special meeting held on the matter.

The EC had before this set June 20 as nomination day and July 4 as polling day.

Ting was disqualified as an assemblyperson for allegedly holding an Australian and a Malaysian citizenship.

The motion to sack him was tabled by Sarawak Finance Minister II Wong Soon Koh and passed by the assembly 70-10.

Ting had on June 7 filed a suit to challenge the assembly's decision.

Judge Douglas Primus Sikayun, however, said that the constitution clearly states that if any party is dissatisfied with election results, they must make an election petition to the court.

The state assembly, the judge said, does not have any expressed powers to deal with the election results and that it is not a competent body to decide on constitutional issues.

The judge also awarded the cost of RM100,000 to Ting.

Sarawak BN said it will appeal the decision.

ADS