KOTA KINABALU, March 13 — The Election Court here today affirmed the victory of Datuk Fairuz Renddan as the Pintasan assemblyman in the 17th Sabah state election held in November last year.

The decision was delivered by Judge Datuk Faridz Gohim Abdullah after dismissing and striking out a petition by former Dewan Rakyat speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia challenging the results of the Pintasan state seat, following a preliminary objection by Fairuz.

The court held that the petition failed to comply with several mandatory legal requirements under the Election Offences Act 1954 and the Election Petition Rules.

“This court finds that by reason of the various non-compliance of the strict mandatory election rules and the statutory provisions of the Act, the petitioner failed to invoke the jurisdiction of the election court and the election petition herein cannot be sustained,” he said.

The court also ordered the petitioner to pay RM10,000 in costs to Fairuz, and with the striking out of the petition, the election result for the Pintasan state seat remains as previously gazetted.

Pandikar filed the election petition on December 22 last year and named Fairuz as the first respondent, the returning officer for the Pintasan constituency as the second respondent, and the Election Commission as the third respondent.

The 70-year-old petitioner had alleged that illegal practices occurred during the November 29, 2025, election for the Pintasan seat.

On January 29, Fairuz filed his preliminary objection to strike out the petition.

On February 23, the petitioner chose not to proceed against the second and third respondents in his election petition, as the petition against them was struck out with no additional costs.

Meanwhile, Fairuz, who is also the Sabah assistant minister of local government and housing, when met by reporters after the decision, expressed gratitude for the court’s ruling and said it allows him to move forward with greater focus in carrying out his duties as the elected representative for Pintasan.

In the 17th Sabah state election, Fairuz defended his seat in an 11-cornered fight with a majority of 1,070 votes.

Pandikar was represented by lawyer Sukumaran Vanugopal, while Fairuz was represented by Rizwandean Bukhary M Borhan, Al-Hafidz Lokman and Khalid Murshidi. — Bernama