Barisan and Pakatan to wait for Sivarraajh’s court appeal first
KUANTAN: While both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan say they will wait for the outcome of the appeal against the Election Court’s decision on the Cameron Highlands seat, Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail is optimistic about Barisan retaining it.
The Pahang Mentri Besar said Barisan had the home advantage as it held the seat, which was won by Datuk C. Sivarraajh.
The MIC vice-president said he would appeal the decision by the court that ruled his victory null and void on Friday.
We shall wait and see,” Wan Rosdy said at a mass circumcision event at KPJ Pahang Specialist Hospital here yesterday.
The state Barisan chief said the coalition would brace for a possible by-election for now.
On Friday, the Election Court found there were corrupt practices committed in the contest for the seat in the May 9 election.
The petition was filed by M. Manogaran, Sivarraajh’s rival from DAP. The former lost by a margin of 597 votes in a five-way battle.
It will be the first time Wan Rosdy leads the state Barisan into an election should a by-election for Cameron Highlands proceed.
Meanwhile, in Melaka, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said the party would have to wait for the outcome of the judicial process before it could decide whether to field a candidate.
“We will wait to see whether an appeal is made. If that happens, we will wait for the court decision,” he told reporters after opening the Ayer Keroh DAP activity centre.
In George Town, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the party would make a bid for the seat if a by-election was called, as it had been traditionally contested by DAP.
“We will wait for the court decision,” he told reporters after launching a garden in Jalan Rifle Range under Penang’s Smart Green Community programme.
Separately, Lim, who is also the Finance Minister, noted a 350% increase in foreign direct investment in the first nine months of the year (RM49bil) compared to the same period last year (RM14bil).