CAMERON HIGHLAND: “I will not be making an appeal on the last day tomorrow,“ said Cameron Highlands MP Datuk C. Sivarraajh (pix) on the nullification of his victory for the seat in the 14th general election (GE14).
Sivarraajh who is the former MIC Youth chief believed the decision made by the Election Court on the nullification of Barisan Nasional (BN)’s win did not matter even if he makes an appeal.
“I feel the decision is not fair to me as I had denied from day one that there was no element of corruption. We (BN) do not offer bribe to talk as the Orang Asli community are hardcore BN voters, so there is no logic for us to offer money for their votes.
“But we accept the decision of the court. I believe if I were to appeal and the process of
“Appeal would not make much difference as it is to the same people,“ he told Bernama here today.
He was speaking to reporters after the swearing-in of Pahang local authorities (PBT) council members before Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail at a hotel here this evening.
According to Sivarraajh, it is better to prove it through a by-election and regain his dignity with the people of Cameron Highlands.
“Rather than appealing to the court, I am more willing to appeal to the people of Cameron Highlands so as to regain their trust as their representative for the next five years.
“I have worked for five months as the MP and I believe I have brought their issues and problems up to the level of Dewan Rakyat,“ he said.
In GE14, Sivarraajh won the Cameron Highlands seat by obtaining a 597-vote majority to defeat Manogaran, the PH candidate as well as candidates of PAS, PSM and Berjasa in a five-cornered fight.
However, the Election Court on Nov 30 declared the election results for Cameron Highlands as null and void after it was proven that Sivarraajh was aware of the bribery which received his consent.
Asked if he was chosen again by MIC top leadership as the candidate for Cameron Highlands seat, Sivarraajh said he would be happy to carry out to task as he believed he would receive the support from the machinery and community in the constituency.
Meanwhile, Wan Rosdy when speaking at the ceremony stressed that council members must show commitment as those who did not attend three consecutive meetings would face allowance deduction and maybe even be dropped as a member.
A total of 232 people received their appointment letters as PBT council members for the 2018 /2020 term.
The members were selected from among politicians and non-government organisations, representing various races and professional groups to serve in three municipal councils and eight district councils in Pahang. — Bernama
