KOTA KINABALU: The crowd went unruly as soon as news broke that nomination for Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) president Datuk Peter Anthony in Sabah’s interior Tenom was rejected, forcing police to fire tear gas at his supporters.
Police reinforcements were also brought in from neighbouring Keningau to control the situation as Anthony’s supporters turned aggressive after they found out that he was unable to contest for the Tenom seat.
Earlier, when the nomination process ended, Anthony mingled with his supporters while waiting for the official announcement.
When news broke that his nomination papers were rejected, resulting in him not being qualified to stand for election, Anthony rushed back into the nomination centre to seek an explanation.
At the same time, the crowd started shouting and rushed into the nomination centre, pushing past light strike force personnel and Rela officials on duty.
Video clips that went viral show Anthony running back into the hall amid the chaos after he managed to squeeze past the dissatisfied crowd.
The videos also show a large group of supporters carrying their party flags running and shouting outside the nomination centre.
The KDM president was perplexed as to why the Election Commission (EC) pulled back his nomination papers despite approving his candidacy earlier.
He claimed his papers had been accepted earlier, but at 11am, he was informed that they had been rejected by the EC headquarters.
“The Sabah EC told me that the headquarters in Putrajaya informed them that I was not eligible to contest,” Anthony said.
He said a report had been lodged over the matter and he will be filing an appeal with the High Court on Monday to get the court to decide whether he is eligible to contest or otherwise.
On the ruckus, he said it started when his supporters were dissatisfied with the U-turn by the EC.
“My supporters only acted that way because they felt dissatisfied,” he said.
The EC had apparently rejected his nomination papers based on the fine that he was slapped with.
Anthony was sentenced to three years’ jail and fined RM50,000 after he was found guilty of forging a letter for mechanical and electrical systems maintenance work at Universiti Malaysia Sabah in 2014.
Judge Azura Alwi passed the sentence on May 26.
Meanwhile, Bukit Aman internal security and public order director Comm Datuk Seri Hazani Ghazali said the tear gas was fired to disperse the crowd.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor condemned those who had caused trouble during the Tenom nomination process, saying there should not be any form of violence or unruly behaviour.
The Gabungan Rakyat Sabah chairman urged all political parties and supporters to refrain from such actions to ensure a smooth election.
He also urged the authorities to investigate the cause of the incident.
At 2.20pm, the EC finally announced the candidates – Noorita Sual of Pakatan Harapan, Jamawi Jaafar (Barisan Nasional), Ukim Buandi (Warisan) and two Independents – Riduan Rubin and Peggy Chaw Zhi Ting.
