KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional candidate for Cameron Highlands Datuk C. Sivarraajh will appeal against a court ruling today that the election results were null and void because corrupt practices were committed to induce voters in the constituency.
” I accept the court ruling... although I deny any corruption or bribery on my side,” said the MIC Youth Chief to New Straits Times Press when contacted today.
He said he would abide by the decision and “I have instructed my lawyers to file an appeal.”
The Election Court here today declared Barisan Nasional’s victory in Cameron Highland as null and void.
Judge Datuk Azizah Nawawi held that corrupt practices had been proven to have been committed with the knowledge and consent of the respondent (Sivarraajh) in the election, namely giving of money to voters to induce them to vote for BN.
“However, I will not report any person who has been proven at the trial to have been guilty of any corrupt practice because of the inconsistencies in the evidence of the petitioner’s own witness as to the identity of the person who had actually given the money,” she said.
She said it was not in dispute that the Orang Asli (in Cameron Highlands) would welcome any assistance, be it in cash or in kind from all parties, including the presentation of a lawn mower by the petitioner (DAP candidate M. Manogaran) himself.
The judge further said the evidence showed that the money was used for daily expenses but the intention of the recipient was not relevant.
Sivarraajh said he would wait for the judgment after submitting the appeal and if there was a by-election, “we will fight till the end.”
“To me it is not a fair judgment..there is no evidence to saying I gave bribes,” he said.
In the 14th General Election, Sivarraajh won by a 597-vote majority in a five-cornered battle.
Sivarraajh polled 10,307 votes, Manogaran 9,710 votes, Wan Mahadhir Wan Mahmud of Pas 3,587 votes, Mohd Tahir Kassim of Berjasa 81 votes and Suresh Kumar of Parti Sosialis Malalysia 680 votes.
Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in his Twitter account said the coalition would file an appeal to challenge the decision.
“The BN machinery led by Umno and MIC will be ready for any possibility.The MP will continue his service to voters even in these difficult times,” he said
Meanwhile, efforts to reach Manogaran for comments were not successful.