KINABATANGAN: Independent candidate for the Lamag seat, Mohd Ismail Ayob, says he will be filing an election petition after losing to Sabah Barisan Nasional chairman and Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin by a 153-vote margin.
Ismail claimed that he was denied entry to the counting centre at SMK Bukit Garam II, that there were several procedural issues at polling centres and that he was denied a recount despite the margin being under the 4% threshold.
“In this case, the majority is only 1.8%. The returning officer must look into this. Why did he make such a decision?” he said when contacted on Sunday (Nov 30).
Ismail confirmed that he would be filing a petition to challenge the result.
“I am facing a coalition chairman, while I am only an independent candidate. I am still looking for a lawyer to advise me on how to proceed with this petition. We hope this will bring justice so that the result truly reflects the mandate of the people,” he said.
Mohd Ismail, who registered his name on the ballot as Miha, first contested in the same constituency under Warisan in the 2020 state election, where he also lost to Bung, who won with a 661-vote majority.
He later joined Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, but after not being selected as a candidate this round, he decided to contest as an independent candidate using the key symbol.
