Wednesday 28 May 2008

One Up For Kurup

One of the two candidates rejected in the Pensiangan parliamentary constituency in the March 8, general election, who had filed election petition seeking to disqualify Tan Sri Joseph Kurup's victory without a contest, had withdrawn his petition today.

However, Independent Saineh Usau has to wait until June 17, this year when his application to withdraw would be heard by High Court Judge David Wong Dak Wah in the Kota Kinabalu court.

The petition filed by Usau, whose nomination papers was rejected by Returning Officer Bubudan OT Majalou, was brought up for mention today to fix date of hearing but his lawyer Arthur Bonnie informed the court that his client had instructed him not to proceed with the petition.

With Usau's withdrawal, Kurup, who is now Federal Rural and Regional Development Deputy Minister, still have to face the petition filed by Parti Keadilan Rakyat's (PKR) Danny Andipai.

Andipai's petition was also mentioned today to fix dates of hearing. The judge fixed June 17, this year for hearing of a preliminary objection to the petition by Kurup and the Returning Officer.

Should the objection is rejected, hearing was fixed for three days beginning July 9.

In today hearing, Kurup who is Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president was represented by Counsels Alex Decena, Hajah Mariati Robert and Wilson Lai.

Senior Federal Counsels Azizah Nawawi and Amarjeet Singh represented the Returning Officer in both petitions.

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