Pandikar fails to unseat Pintasan rep as court dismisses election petition with costs

KOTA KINABALU (March 13): The Election Court has dismissed with costs an election petition filed by United Sabah National Organisation (Usno) president Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia to quash independent candidate Datuk Fairuz Renddan’s win in Pintasan.

Kuching-based High Court Justice Datuk Faridz Gohim Abdullah struck out the petition, which was filed by Pandikar on Dec 22, 2025.

“The court finds that, by reason of the various non-compliance of the strict mandatory election rules and the statutory provisions of the Election Offences Act 1954, the petitioner will invoke the jurisdiction of the Election Court and the election petition cannot be sustained.

“In the premises, this court grants, order in terms of Clause 24 (Notice of Application for preliminary objection by Fairuz), and order that the election petition be dismissed and struck out,” the judge held in his reserved verdict.

Faridz also ordered for costs of RM10,000 to be paid to Fairuz.

Pandikar had alleged that a corrupt practice or illegal practice occurred during the election held on Nov 29, 2025, involving Fairuz, in violation of sections 10(a), (b), (c), (d) and in particular 10(e) and 32(c) of Election Offences Act 1954.

Initially, Pandikar had named Fairuz as the first respondent; Peter Jiton – the returning officer for the Pintasan constituency, as the second respondent; and the Election Commission of Malaysia as the third respondent.

However, on Feb 23, the petitioner chose not to proceed with his petition against the second and third respondents, with both respondents struck out from the petition with no order as to costs.

In his petition, Pandikar, among others, sought a declaration that the election was void and that Fairuz was not duly elected or ought not to have been returned.

Pandikar was represented by counsel Sukumaran Vanugopal, while Fairuz’s counsels were Rizwandean Bukhary M Borhan, Mohd Al Hafidz Mohd Lokman, and Khalid Murshidi.

During the state election, Pandikar, who contested on a Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) ticket, garnered 3,605 votes to lose to Fairuz, who polled 4,675 votes for a 1,070-majority.

Fairuz has since been appointed as Assistant Minister of Local Government and Housing.