SEREMBAN : Rantau Assemblyman and three-term Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has to go for a by-election after the Special Election Court on Friday (Nov.16) ruled as null and void the unopposed election in the 14th General Election in May.
Judge Datuk Azimah Omar handed down the judgment today after having heard arguments from the lawyers of the petitioner Dr. S. Streram and Mohamed, the first respondent, over 12 days.
The court also heard the testimonies of 19 witnesses.
“This was acknowledged by the second and third respondents in their written submissions,” the judge said as reported by a local news agency.
Streram, who was denied entry to submit his nomination form due to the absence of the tag or pass, had named Mohamad, the former Menteri Besar of Negri Sembilan, as the first respondent, Rembau parliamentary constituency returning officer Amino Agus Suyub as the second respondent and the Election Commission (EC) as the third respondent. Streram, filed a petition on May 23.
Azimah said, as such the court allows the petition and rules that Mohamad was not duly elected as the assemblyman for Rantau and that his election is null and void.
Mohamad won the seat unopposed after Amino allegedly refused to allow Dr. Streram into the nomination centre on April 28 because he did not have a valid pass issued by the EC.
In his election petition, Streram, an anaesthesiologist sought for a by-election to be held for the Rantau seat as its incumbent had not won the seat legitimately.
Justice Datuk Azimah Omar, who presided over the case, on Friday ruled that there was no written law or requirement for a candidate, his seconder or proposer to have passes to enter the nomination centre.
The court made the decision and ordered a by-election to be held after the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly seat (Rantau) was won by Mohamad without any contest on April 28, 2018.
Streram was represented by four lawyers led by Hanif Kathri while Mohamad who is also the UMNO Deputy President was represented by five lawyers led by Datuk Hafizam Harun.
The ruling means that Malaysia will see the fifth by-election post-GE14 and the fourth contest for a state seat. – Malaysia World News
