KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 — PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli has today vowed his party will seek to file an election petition against Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin if the latter is re-elected as the MP for Pagoh on grounds of deliberately stoking racial sentiments by claiming there were attempts by Opposition-linked Christian groups to proselytise Muslims.
Rafizi said the bid to nullify Muhyiddin’s election victory in the 15th general election (GE15) stemmed from the latter’s violation of Section 4(a) of the Election Offences Act over a malicious statement made during a ceramah recently that has since gone viral on social media.
In the clip of his speech, Muhyiddin said it was “very dangerous” for Pakatan Harapan (PH) to return to power, claiming he saw a video of a group of Jews that were “sponsored” by the Opposition.
Muhyiddin further claimed that the “agenda of these people” was to make Malaysia a part of its “colony”. “PKR will consider filing an election petition in Pagoh if Muhyiddin wins because there is a violation under the Act.
“We reserve every right to file a petition after the election and what is more important is not about winning or losing but I have a strong view against politicians who have the tendencies to take advantage of racial sentiments.
“It tears apart the very fabric of society. We are living in the 21st century but unfortunately instead of focusing more on governance and policies there are tendencies to swing to the extreme right in the last few years,” he told a press conference here.
In Malaysia, the result of an election can be challenged by way of an election petition.
Section 32 of the Election Offences Act specifies five grounds on which an election may be declared void by an election petition.
The five grounds are summarised to general bribery, intimidation extensively prevailed that they may be reasonably supposed to have affected the result of the election; non-compliance with the provisions of any written law relating to the conduct of any election; corrupt practice or illegal practice committed in connection with the election by the candidate or with his knowledge or consent, or by any agent of the candidate; the candidate personally engaged a person as his election agent, or as a canvasser or agent, knowing that such person had within seven years previous to such engagement been convicted or found guilty of a corrupt practice or the candidate was at the time of his election a person disqualified for election.
Rafizi said he is currently awaiting further developments from the party’s legal team but has himself relayed instructions to them to make preparations to lodge an election petition against Muhyiddin, further stating this will be the first in Malaysia’s history to bring accountability to politicians who use racial sentiment in their election campaign.
Following Muhyiddin’s remarks, the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) issued a response, slamming the Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin for being irresponsible since such a statement has a tendency to create racial and religious tension and strife.
