The Kota Kinabalu election court struck out the former Dewan Rakyat speaker’s petition and ordered him to pay RM10,000 in costs to Fairuz, the former Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah Youth chief.

Pandikar, a Gabungan Rakyat Sabah deputy chairman and former Tempasuk assemblyman, had wanted the court to declare the election results void and that he was the rightful winner, claiming corrupt practices and election offences during Fairuz’s campaign.

He had lost the contest for the Pintasan seat to Fairuz by 1,070 votes on Nov 29, giving his opponent a second term as the constituency’s assemblyman.

Fairuz was later appointed as a state assistant minister.

Pandikar initially named the Pintasan returning officer and the Election Commission as second and third respondents before he decided to drop the petition against them, Borneo Post reported.

In 2020, Pandikar had also lost the seat to Fairuz, who was then with Sabah Bersatu, by 84 votes.

Pandikar was represented by counsel V Sukumaran while Fairuz was represented by Rizwandean Bukhary Borhan, Al Hafidz Lokman and Khalid Murshidi.