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From: AFP
Date: 04 May 1999
Time: 03:32:00
KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 (AFP) - Opposition parties in Malaysia's eastern state of Sabah have challenged election results in 17 of the 48 seats, raising the prospect of by-elections, a newspaper reported Tuesday. The ruling National Front coalition of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad won 31 seats in the hotly-contested March state elections, dashing local opposition parties hopes of an end to the coalition's five-year rule.
Sabah's election came ahead of national elections expected to be overshadowed by the political crisis following the arrest of ousted deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, sentenced to six years in jail last month on four corruption charges.
General elections are expected any time over the next year as the term of the current federal parliament expires in April, 2000.
The Sun newspaper reported Tuesday that the opposition United Sabah Party (PBS) had filed petitions to have the results of the election nullified in 15 seats.
Two other petitions were filed by leaders from two smaller parties, including former chief minister Harris Salleh who ruled Sabah from 1976 to 1985.
Sabah's Attorney-General Steven Foo reportedly told the newspaper the next step would be to appoint the chief judge of Sabah and the neighbouring state of Sarawak to hear the petitions.
"If the petitions succeed, the results of the constituencies concerned would be declared null and void and by-elections would be held," the report said, adding Malaysia's election commission would then have to set new dates.
PBS won 17 of the 48 seats in the March election. The party, which has a strong following among Kadazans, the state's main ethnic group, won the previous election but was soon hit by a wave of defections to the National Front camp, allowing the coalition led by Mahathir's party to assume control of the state.