THE Malacca election court today issued a warrant of arrest against Bersatu’s Armada (youth) permanent chairman Akmal Zahin Zainal Zahir for failing to attend today’s court proceedings for the election petition to nullify the result of the Masjid Tanah Parliamentary seat in the general election (GE).

High Court Judge Abu Bakar Katar issued the warrant of arrest.

The same court also issued a warrant of arrest against Noor Hashimah Noordin, former private secretary to Masjid Tanah member of parliament, Ermieyati Samsudin, for failing to attend the court proceedings.

Akmal, who is also the Wilayah Armada chief, was ordered to attend proceedings to testify regarding allegations that he gave bribes during the GE.

Lawyer Mohd Faizi Che Abu, who represented Mas Ermieyati, who was named as a respondent in the petition, when contacted, confirmed that the warrant of arrest had been issued.

“Both of them are the petitioner’s witnesses. They did not cooperate with the petitioner, so the latter has applied for arrest warrants against both witnesses,” he said, when contacted by Bernama.

During the court proceedings, a video of Akmal giving out envelopes, believed to contain money, to voters in the Masjid Tanah constituency, was presented to the court.

The election court has set September 11 for both witnesses to attend the proceedings. – Bernama, September 8, 2023.