Segamat voters fail to challenge EC

KUALA LUMPUR: Forty-eight registered voters in the Segamat parliamentary constituency of Johor yesterday failed to obtain leave for judicial review to challenge the entry of 949 names of army personnel and their spouses into the third quarter 2017 Supplementary Electoral Roll.

Justice Datuk Wira Kamaludin Md Said made the ruling in chambers after allowing the respondents’ preliminary objection.

Senior federal counsel Muzila Mohamed Arsad represented the Election Commission (EC) and its Johor registrar, Shafie Taib and Segamat adjudicating officer, Miswan Yunus while Michelle Ng served as counsel for the 48 applicants.

Michelle told reporters when met that the judge rejected her clients’ application after concurring with the submission by the AttorneyGeneral’s Chambers that names of voters which had been gazetted into the electoral roll may not be challenged in court as provided for under Section 9A of the Election Act 1958.

“There was no order for costs and I will seek instructions from the client on whether to appeal against today’s decision,” she said.

The voters headed by Abdul Wahab Hassan filed the application for leave for judicial review on Feb 26 seeking to remove the 949 names from the said electoral roll and a declaration that the respondents’ action was unconstitutional as it did not satisfy Article 119 of the Federal Constitution. - Bernama