GEORGE TOWN, July 20 — The High Court here has fixed August 15 to hear the preliminary objection by incumbent Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Shabudin Yahaya against an election petition filed by Penang Bersatu candidate Datuk Marzuki Yahya to challenge the results of the 14th general election (GE14) in the parliamentary constituency.

Lawyer Azlina Mehtab Mohd Ishaq said this after the case management before Justice Datuk Hashim Hamzah today.

Azlina, who represented Marzuki, said the court was informed Shabudin had filed the preliminary objection, while the P042 Tasek Gelugor returning officer and the Election Commission (EC) (the second and third respondents respectively) would file their preliminary objections before July 27.

“The court has instructed that the parties file their respective submissions before August 7, 2018, counter-claims before Aug 12, 2018 while oral arguments have been fixed on August 15, 2018,” she said.

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Shabudin was represented by lawyers Simon Tan and SY Loo while counsel Satya Kumardas represented the returning officer and the EC.

On June 12, Marzuki who is also Penang Bersatu chairman, filed the petition and named Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate who won the seat, Datuk Shabudin Yahaya as the first respondent, returning officer for Tasek Gelugor (second respondent) and the Election Commission as third respondent.

In his application, Marzuki petitioned that a by-election for the Tasek Gelugor parliamentary seat be held.

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In addition, Marzuki wanted a recounting of the votes in accordance with the Elections (Conduct of Elections) Regulations 1981, whereby the candidate is entitled to request for a recount when the result was a mere difference of four per cent.

In the GE14 on May 9, Marzuki who contested under the PKR ticket lost to Shabudin with only a majority of 81 votes. Marzuki obtained 18,466 votes against Shabudin (18,547) while PAS candidate, Rizal Hafiz Ruslan garnered 14,891 votes. — Bernama