KOTA KINABALU, March 27 — The Election Court has struck out a petition filed by Warisan candidate Datuk Harun Ismail challenging the outcome of the Pitas state seat, which was won by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah’s Datuk Seri Ruddy Awah.

Kuching-based High Court judge Wong Siong Tung, who sat as the election court judge via a Zoom proceeding, delivered the decision after allowing preliminary objections raised by the respondents.

When contacted, Ruddy’s counsel Shahlan Jufri said the court also ordered the petitioner to pay costs of RM15,000 to his client and a further RM15,000 jointly to the second and third respondents.

Shahlan appeared together with Rizwandean Bukhary M Burhan, Rupilin Aliq, and Mohd Luqman Syazwan Zabidi Md Zain.

Ruddy is currently Assistant Minister of Works and Utilities.

Harun, 66, filed the election petition on December 23 last year, naming Ruddy, 57, as the first respondent, Pitas returning officer as the second respondent, and the Election Commission as the third respondent.

In the petition, Harun sought a declaration that Ruddy was not duly elected as Pitas assemblyman and that the state election held on November 29, 2025 be declared null and void, along with costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.

Earlier this year, the respondents filed preliminary objections to strike out the petition, citing, among others, insufficient particulars in the allegations of bribery and a lack of concise material facts to support claims of electoral misconduct.

The second and third respondents were represented by senior federal counsel Shamsul Bolhassan, alongside federal counsels Safiyyah Omar, Nur Akmal Mohamad Azri, and Nurul Muhaimin Mohd Azman.

Harun was represented by lawyer Hairul Vaiyron Othman.

In the Sabah state election, Ruddy won the Pitas seat in a six-cornered contest, securing 5,754 votes and a majority of 1,565, while Harun garnered 4,189 votes. — The Borneo Post