The Shah Alam High Court has fixed July 19 to July 29 to hear former Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Zaid Ibrahim's election petition case, following his Hulu Selangor parliamentary by-election loss in April.

He is looking to invalidate the election result, claiming widespread bribery perpetrated in his opponent's campaign.

The case came up for case management today before Justice Azahar Mohamed.    

NONEZaid (right), who is now PKR central committee member had filed the election petition on May 24, on the grounds that BN's P Kamalanathan had “directly or indirectly” known Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s offers made by during the campaign to entice Hulu Selangor voters.

The focal point of the case is Najib's promise of RM3 million to SRJK (C) Rasa School and also offers made to the Felda settlers.

According to Zaid’s lawyer Ang Hean Leng, Justice Azahar only fixed hearing dates.

“Senior federal counsel Azhar Yusof and Suzana Atan appeared for the Election Commission while lawyers Mohd Hafarizam Harun and Firoz Hussein appeared for Kamalanathan,” he said.

Election petition matters must be disposed within six months from the date of filing.

Striking out application

Justice Azhar was a former senior officer from the Attorney General Chambers, before being made a High Court judge.

Azhar was also one of the prosecutors involved in PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's first sodomy trial in 1998.

NONEAng believes that the EC and representatives from Kamalanathan have filed a striking out application. “The matter has been fixed for case management on July 13, before the trial,” he said.

During the Hulu Selangor by-election, Kamalanathan polled 24,997 against Zaid's 23,272 resulting in a 1,725 majority for the BN candidate. Zaid has called it one of the “dirtiest and most corrupt" by-elections ever.