Chong keeps Tanjong Kapor as court throws out bid to quash election results

KOTA KINABALU (March 12): The Election Court has dismissed with costs an election petition filed by a Parti Warisan Sabah candidate to challenge Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) assemblyman Datuk Chong Chen Bin’s win in Tanjong Kapor.

Bintulu-based High Court Justice Amelati Parnell, who sat as Election Judge, made the decision after allowing preliminary objections raised by all respondents to strike out the said petition.

“In the premises, the respondents’ preliminary objection is allowed. Consequently, this election petition is dismissed with costs of RM20,000 to the first respondent and costs of RM10,000 to the second and third respondents.

“I hereby determine that the first respondent, Chong Chen Bin, is duly elected to State Legislative Assembly constituency of N4 Tanjong Kapor,” she ruled.

Petitioner Terence Au Soon Fui, who filed the election petition on Dec 23, 2025, had alleged that the said election was void by reason of general bribery proscribed under Section 32(a) of the Election Offences Act 1954.

He named Chong, the returning officer for Tanjong Kapor, and the Election Commission as first, second, and third respondents.

Au was represented by counsel Hairul Vaiyron Othman.

Chong was represented by counsels Shahlan Jufri, Rizwandean Bukhary M Borhan, Datuk Ram Singh, Luqman Syazwan Zabidi Md Zain, and Farrah Nasser.

Appearing for the second and third respondents were senior federal counsel Zetty Zurina Kamaruddin and Zulyana Zollkapli, as well as federal counsel Mohd Ashraf Abd Hamid.

During the last state election, Chong won the seat with 6,171 votes in an 11-cornered fight, while Au garnered 4,737 votes.

On Dec 1, 2025, Chong was appointed Assistant Minister of Finance.