GEORGE TOWN, July 2 — Controversial independent candidate of the Bukit Gelugor by-election in May, Abu Backer Sidek Mohammad Zan, has filed an election petition against Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh Deo.
The lawyer, who got national attention after he threw himself in front of the Penang chief minister’s car during the campaign period, filed the petition to nullify the election result and to request a fresh by-election.
“I will serve the petition to the defendants and apply to the court to nullify the by-election results,” Abu Backer said in a brief message posted in a group chat on the popular messaging system, Whatsapp.
He also uploaded a picture of the petition in which Ramkarpal and the Election Commission (EC) were named as defendants.
His petition was filed by his own legal firm at the Penang High Court on June 18.
On May 24, Abu Backer had announced his decision to pull out from the by-election just hours before the campaign period for the by-election ends.
He was in a four-cornered fight with Parti Cinta Malaysia Huan Cheng Guan, DAP's Ramkarpal and another independent candidate Mohd Nabi Bux Mohd Sathar.
However, the EC maintained that no candidate can pull out of the by-election after submitting their nomination as the ballot papers list out all the candidates and their party logos.
The Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat fell vacant after the MP Karpal Singh was killed in a car crash in April.
Ramkarpal, who is Karpal's third son, retained the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat by garnering a 37,659 vote majority.
He had garnered 41,242 votes, Parti Cinta Malaysia 3,583 votes, Mohd Nabi Bux 799 votes and Abu Backer 225 votes.
All the three other candidates lost their deposit as they failed to garner the minimal one eighth or 12 per cent of the total votes cast.
A total 46,388 votes were cast on May 25 with 539 being spoilt votes.
