Kota Kinabalu: Pitas assemblyman Datuk Ruddy Awah
(pic) will donate RM15,000 in court-awarded costs to orphans in the district after the Election Court dismissed a petition challenging his state election victory.
The petition filed by Warisan candidate Datuk Harun Ismail was struck out, confirming Ruddy’s position as the elected representative.
Ruddy said the compensation would be channelled entirely to orphans in need.
“If we receive the money, it will all be given to orphans as they need support from us as elected representatives,” he said when met at the state-level Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house.
He described the court’s decision as final and urged all parties to accept the outcome and move forward, while calling on voters in Pitas to focus on unity and reaffirming his commitment to improving infrastructure in the constituency.
The petition, filed in December last year to nullify the election results, was dismissed after the court allowed preliminary objections citing insufficient details in the claims, with Harun also ordered to pay additional costs to other respondents including the Election Commission and the returning officer, while Ruddy said the ruling upheld the people’s mandate and would help ease tensions and refocus on development priorities in Pitas.
