PETALING JAYA: The Election Court's decision to annul the GE15 result for the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat will affect PAS' chances in the eventual by-election, says Umno.
Terengganu Umno information chief Datuk Nik Dir Nik Wan Ku said PAS may have decided not to appeal the decision but voters now have proof that the party acted illegally.
"The people, especially voters, have proof from the Election Court that they (PAS) practised money politics and that will affect their situation as a party," he said when contacted on Saturday (July 8).
PAS' Datuk Ahmad Amzad Hashim, who won the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat in the 15th General Election (GE15), with a staggering 40,907-votes majority.
Amzad defeated three other candidates including Barisan Nasional's Datuk Mohd Zubir Embong.
On the possibility of fielding Mohd Zubir for the Kuala Terengganu by-election, Nik Dir said it will depend on the unity government's top leadership.
"Things are different now. We are part of the unity government so any decision on the candidate must be discussed between top leaders of both Barisan and Pakatan Harapan," he said.
Earlier on Saturday, lawyer Wan Rohimi Wan Daud, who represented Ahmad, announced that PAS would not appeal the Election Court's decision.
On June 27, the Terengganu Election Court nullified the victory of Ahmad, following allegations of vote-buying.
Judge Mohd Firuz Jaffril said the court found that the petitioner, Mohd Zubir of Barisan, had successfully proven that corrupt practices had occurred.
On Jan 3, Terengganu Umno filed a petition at the Kuala Terengganu High Court, to annul the GE15 results for the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat, in accordance with the Election Offences Act 1954.
Terengganu Umno chief Datuk Seri Ahmad Said said among the points raised in the petition were allegations that PAS had bribed voters by distributing financial aid from the state government through the i-Pencen, i-Belia and i-Siswa initiatives, between Nov 15 and 17 last year, just a few days before the GE15.
