Kota Kinabalu: The Election Court on Thursday dismissed an election petition filed by Warisan candidate Terence Au Soon Fui challenging the GRS victory in the Tanjong Kapor state seat won by Datuk Chong Chen Bin
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Bintulu-based High Court Judge Amelati Parnell dismissed the petition after allowing preliminary objections raised by Chong and the other two respondents.
The court ruled that Chong is duly elected as the State Assemblyman for the N.4 Tanjong Kapor constituency.
Au named Chong, the Tanjong Kapor Returning Officer and the Election Commission (EC) as the first, second and third respondents, respectively.
The court ordered Au to pay RM20,000 costs to Chong and RM10,000 costs to the second and third respondents.
On Dec 23, 2025, Au filed the petition, seeking a court declaration that Chong was not duly elected as the Assemblyman for Tanjong Kapor, that the election held on Nov 29 was void, an order for costs and such other relief as the court may deem appropriate.
In his petition, Terence alleged that the election is void by reason of general bribery proscribed under Section 32(a) of the Election Offences Act 1954, which he claims was so extensive that it could reasonably be supposed to have affected the result of the election.
In the Sabah 17th General Election on Nov 29, 2025, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) incumbent Chong won the seat in an 11-cornered contest with 6,171 votes.
Au polled 4,737 votes, Verdon Bahanda (Independent) 5,812, Muhammad Affan Jumahat (PN) 1,262, Kevin Lee Sip Kim (BN) 1,455, Shawn Davey Lee (Star Sabah) 434, Jetol Dangin (Parti Impian Sabah) 184, A Halim @ Abdul Halim Yussof (Parti Bumi Kenyalang) 166, Abdul Rahim Madtaip (Independent) 105, Awang Karim Abdul Kadir (Anak Negeri) 63 and Bonny Berman (Sabah Progressive Party) 52.
The petitioner was represented by counsel Hairul V. Othman.
Chong, who is Assistant Finance Minister, was represented by counsel Shahlan Jufri, Rizwandean Bukhary M Borhan, Datuk Ram Singh, Farrah Nasser and Mohd Luqman Syazwan Zabidi.
The second and third respondents were represented by Senior Federal Counsels Zetti Zurina Kamaruddin and Zulyana Zollkapli, and Federal Counsel Mohd Ashraf Abd Hamid.
