TERENGGANU election court today dismissed PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s preliminary objection to Umno petitioning the general election result for his Marang constituency last November.

Justice Hassan Abdul Ghani, in dismissing Hadi’s filing, also fixed March 6-21 to hear the full petition.

On January 3, Terengganu Umno filed a petition at Kuala Terengganu High Court to annul the general election results for Marang, Kuala Terengganu and Kemaman constituencies, in accordance with the Election Offences Act 1954.

The petition was filed by Barisan Nasional-Umno candidate Jasmira Othman.

Lawyer Wan Rohimi Wan Daud, representing Hadi and Perikatan Nasional, told The Malaysian Insight that Hassan also ordered Hadi to pay RM20,000 legal costs.

“Our objections were rejected and we have to pay legal costs of RM20,000,” he said, adding that the decision this morning was read out by the judge in a Zoom hearing.

Meanwhile, Amin Othman, representing Terengganu Umno, confirmed the judge had rejected each of Hadi’s arguments, including that the deadline for filing petitions – as stipulated in the act – had passed.

Terengganu Umno chief Ahmad Said said the party was accusing PAS of bribing voters by giving them state government cash through the i-Pencen, i-Belia and i-Siswa initiatives between November 15 and 17, 2022, just a few days before the polls.

On polling day, Hadi retained his Marang seat with a majority of 41,729 votes, defeating Jasmira and two other candidates: Azhar Ab Shukur (Pakatan Harapan) and Dr Zarawi Sulong (Pejuang). – February 12, 2023.