Bersatu to drop planned Nenggiri by-election court challenge

Bersatu to drop planned Nenggiri by-election court challenge

PETALING JAYA: Kelantan Bersatu said Perikatan Nasional is dropping a planned election petition to challenge the win by Barisan Nasional in the Nenggiri by-election.

It had previously claimed that the BN’s Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani had won the by-election “illegally.”

In August, Kelantan Bersatu chief Kamarudin Nor had said PN was gathering evidence to show that BN had bribed and threatened voters during the two-week campaign period ahead of the Aug 17 by-election.

But today, Kamarudin said the state chapter had decided to focus on strengthening its position and wresting the seat from BN at the next polls, which must be held by 2028.

“We have decided not to proceed with the election petition against the relevant parties regarding the Nenggiri by-election,” Kamarudin told FMT.

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“We want to focus on strengthening the party and leadership for the coming election.”

They had up to next February to file the election petition, which is six months after the Aug 17 polls ended.

Umno had previously dismissed Kamarudin’s claims, saying it was a gimmick to cover up PN’s “embarrassing defeat”.

Azmawi beat Rizwadi Ismail of Bersatu, who stood under the Perikatan Nasional banner, to reclaim the Nenggiri seat for Umno with a majority of 3,352 votes.

The result overturned BN’s loss to PN by 810 votes during the state assembly election last year.

The by-election was held after incumbent Azizi Abu Naim of Bersatu had his seat declared vacant by the Kelantan assembly speaker after Bersatu sacked him as a member for supporting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Azizi is also the Gua Musang MP.