THE Malacca Election Court today rejected a petition filed by Barisan Nasional candidate Mohamad Ali Mohamad to challenge the state elections outcome for the Sungai Udang state seat.

Judge Azman Abdullah made the ruling after scrutinising and hearing the statements of all 20 witnesses during the trial, which proceeded from March 24 until April 20.

Lawyer Rosli Dahlan, representing Sungai Udang assemblyman Dr Mohd Aleef Yusof of Perikatan Nasional, said the court decided that the accusations against the Election Commission (EC), returning officer for Sungai Udang and Aleef on irregularities in voting during the state elections last November 20 were not true.

“Two accusations on corruption by Aleef too were untrue. As such, the court finds that all accusations are baseless,” he told reporters when met after the decision at the Air Keroh Courts Complex.

Ali, who was represented by his team of lawyers, namely Amin Othman, Rosfinah Rahmat, Wan Hamidah Wan Ismail and Nor Hazira Abu Haiyan, did not attend proceedings today.

On December 14 last year, Ali, 57, who lost in the state polls last year, filed an election petition to annul Aleef’s win, 35, alleging elements of corruption involved in the battle for the Sungai Udang seat.

He named Aleef, who won with a 530-vote majority in a four-cornered fight, the returning officer and the EC as the first to third respondents.

The petition hearing took place on March 24 after the court rejected the preliminary objection submitted by the three respondents. – Bernama, June 8, 2022.