Arrest warrant issued against Armada permanent chairman after court no show

MELAKA - The Melaka election court today issued a warrant of arrest against Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia Armada (Youth) permanent chairman Akmal Zahin Zainal Zahir for failing to attend today’s court proceedings for the election petition to nullify the result of the Masjid Tanah Parliamentary seat in the 15th General Election (GE15).

High Court Judge Datuk Abu Bakar Katar issued the warrant of arrest.

The same court also issued a warrant of arrest against Noor Hashimah Noordin, former private secretary to Masjid Tanah Member of Parliament, Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, for failing to attend the court proceedings.

Akmal Zahin, who is also the Wilayah Armada chief, was ordered to attend proceedings to testify regarding allegations that he gave bribes during GE15.

Lawyer Mohd Faizi Che Abu, who represented Mas Ermieyati, who was named as a respondent in the petition, when contacted, confirmed that the warrant of arrest had been issued.

"Both of them are the petitioner’s witnesses. They did not cooperate with the petitioner, so the latter has applied for an arrest warrant issued against both witnesses,” he said, when contacted by Bernama.

During the court proceedings, a video of Akmal Zahin giving envelopes, believed to contain money, to voters in the Masjid Tanah Parliament, was presented to the court.

The election court has set Sept 11 for both witnesses to attend the proceedings. - BERNAMA