BARISAN Nasional (BN) candidate M. Ramasamy has filed a petition with the election court to void the results of the Segamat parliamentary election, which he lost to Pakatan Harapan’s R. Yuneswaran.

The petition was filed even though the two coalitions are partners in the unity government.

Ramasamy said he was challenging the results because the PH candidate and the Election Commission had violated the rules.

“I have all the evidence for this,” he told The Malaysian Insight when contacted.

Ramasamy said he had informed MIC president S. A. Vigneswaran of his actions so that they could be brought to the attention of the BN leadership.

“This is not a party issue. This is my right as a candidate. I have done what I should do,” he said.

Ramasamy, who is the MIC treasurer, accused Yuneswaran and his agents of violating election rules regarding campaign materials.

He also alleged that Yuneswaran had distributed food parcels to hundreds of voters on the campaign trail.

“We don’t know what’s in the parcels,” he said.

Ramasamy said he had reported the alleged violations to the EC and the police but no action was taken.

Ramasamy also filed complaints against the returning officer Ungku Mohd Tahir Ungku Mohd Zakaria and the EC for not complying with the rules of the election process. 

He is represented by lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

BN-PH ties 

Yuneswaran has received the petition writ from Ramasamy. 

“His actions will have implications. BN should maintain good relations with PH and the unity government,” said Yuneswaran.

PH signed an agreement with BN to form a unity government after none of the coalitions won enough seats for a majority.

On the alleged violation of election rules, Yuneswaran denied any wrongdoing.

“I don’t know why this petition was filed,” he added.

The petition is set for case management tomorrow in the election court in Muar.

In the November general election, Yuneswaran, who is also a PKR central council member, defeated Ramasamy, his closest competitor, by 5,669 votes.

Yuneswaran won 23,437 votes to Ramasamy’s 17,768.

P. Poobalan of Perikatan Nasional received 8,385 votes and Syed Hairoul Faizey Syed Ali of GTA,1,062.

The petition was one of 11 filed by candidates to challenge the results of the elections. – January 17, 2023.