KUCHING: The Election Commission (EC) has followed up on the cancelled Pujut by-election by taking several actions including displaying notice of its cancellation starting yesterday.
Its chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hashim Abdullah said the EC held a special meeting yesterday to discuss last Saturday’s ruling by Kuching High Court to strike out the decision made by Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) on May 12 to disqualify Pujut assemblyman Dr Ting Tiong Choon as DUN member. The disqualification of Dr Ting, following a 70-10 vote in the DUN in favour of a ministerial motion to disqualify him for having once acquired Australian citizenship, had earlier necessitated the by-election.
“The Returning Officer had taken subsequent actions and the cancellation of the N74 By-Election Writ had been made, and informed to EC in the evening of June 17 (last Saturday).
“In connection with this, the EC decided that all processes for the by-election and the dates fixed (for nomination and polling) are now nullified in parallel with the court’s ruling,” he said in a statement issued from Putrajaya.
He also said the notice on the cancellation of the N74 By-Election are now being displayed at the Miri Civic Centre and the Returning Officer’s office.
Dr Ting from DAP was reinstated as Pujut assemblyman after Kuching High Court ruled that the ‘Dewan’ (DUN) had no express power to deal with an election result.
Judge Datuk Douglas Primus Sikayun, when ruling on an Originating Summons filed by Dr Ting challenging his disqualification, had said: “I order that there is no vacancy in Pujut for the by-election to be held.” Dr Ting, a new face fielded by DAP, had won the seat in the 11th State Election in May last year by 1,759-vote majority in a four-cornered fight.