KOTA KINABALU: The three respondents in the Sindumin election petition filed by voter Wendey Agong Baruh are to file preliminary objections challenging the petition seeking to nullify the constituency’s Nov 29, 2025 state election result.
Kuching-based High Court Judge Dean Wayne Daly was informed during a Zoom mention on Wednesday that the Sindumin returning officer Abdul Karim AM Zahari, the Election Commission and Warisan’s winning candidate Yusri Pungut, named as the first, second and third respondents respectively, intended to raise the objections.
Advertisement
According to the petitioner’s counsel Ag Amli Noraufe Ag Nohin, the Election Court directed the respondents to file their respective preliminary objections by Feb 5, with written submissions to be filed and served by Feb 12, and fixed Feb 16 for oral hearing via Zoom.
In his Dec 26, 2025 petition, Wendey, 34, sought declarations that the election is void and that Yusri was not duly elected, alleging receipt of a Dec 23 video purportedly showing an EC officer crumpling an orange ballot paper during counting and concealing it between a ballot box and a container marked “Undi Belum Dikira” (uncounted votes) at Saluran 3, SK Melalia after 6pm on polling day, an act he contended constituted an offence under Section 3(1)(c) of the Election Offences Act 1954, with a police report lodged the same day.
Yusri, who represented himself, won the seat by a 362-vote majority over Pakatan Harapan’s Datuk Yamani Hafez Musa in a 10-cornered contest, while the petitioner was also represented by Norlaily Anuar.
