MIRI: Defeated Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Miri candidate Dr Michael Teo has decided not to pursue his election petition for Senadin.
Dr Teo lost to the incumbent and Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) candidate Datuk Lee Kim Shin by a narrow 58-vote majority in the April 16 state elections.
“I will congratulate Datuk Lee when I meet him again, and perhaps have a rematch with him in the next round,” he said yesterday.
Dr Teo and PKR supporters created an opposition outcry, claiming the party was denied a recount of votes in the close contest for the Miri seat despite repeated requests, triggering a two-hour confrontation with the returning officer at the tallying centre in the Miri Indoor Stadium on April 16.
He said the reason for dropping the petition was the high filing costs which could touch RM400,000, adding that he felt it may not be worth all his time and trouble as the chances of winning were not good going by precedents.
According to him, another important reason is the timing of the 13th general election — due in less than two years — and the appeal could easily take up one year or more.
By then, everyone would be too busy with the general election to help him with the petition, he said.
“I might as well spend that sort of money helping the poor Ibans — and just concentrate on preparing early for the general election,” added Dr Teo, who is also PKR Miri branch chief.
He is philosophical about his defeat, saying it was like a friendly match between old friends from two different political parties.
“When my son returns to help me run the clinic soon, I will be able to spend more time preparing for the general election,” he added.
He is leaving the choice of parliamentary seat he will be contesting to the top PR leadership.
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