Kurup lost his MP seat

Andipai shaking hands with his lawyer Haji Ansari Abdullah after the court proceeding in Kota Kinabalu today.

Breaking news…

Update 1
Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee sms me that obviously a by-election would be held soon.


To be updated


Rural and Regional Development Deputy Minister Tan Sri Joseph Kurup lost his Pensiangan MP seat today when his win uncontested in the March 8, 2008 general elections was declared null and void by the Election Court in Kota Kinabalu few minutes ago.

Kurup, who is Party Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president, was not in court when Judge David Wong Dak Wah delivered his judgement in a packed courtroom. The petitioner Danny Anthony Andipai is a happy man and so is PKR.

The petition was filed on April 9, 2008 by Andipai, the Pensiangan PKR divisional chief, whose candidacy for the Pensiangan parliamentary seat was rejected by Returning Officer Bubudan OT Majalu on nomination day Feb 24, 2008.

After rejecting Andipai’s papers, Bubudan declared Kurup of having won Pensiangan uncontested.

Andipai was seeking court declaration that Kurup’s win was null and void. He claimed that Bubudan had planned to make available only on counter for delivery of nomination papers by candidates contesting in Pensiangan and the state seats of Nabawan and Sook.

He claimed that the plan was to prevent the timely delivery of nomination papers of other candidates to enable Kurup to be returned unopposed in the March 8, 2008 general elections.

Andipai was represented by a team of lawyers - Datuk Chau Chin Tang and Haji Ansari Abdullah while Kurup’s lawyers were Alex Deccena, Hajah Mariati Robert, Wilson Lai Wai Shing.

Senior Federal Counsel Suzana Atan and Chandra Devi appeared for Bubudan.