This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on April 30, 2018

PKR leader Tian Chua, whose nomination to contest in the 14th general election (GE14) was rejected by the Election Commission (EC) has got an, for want of a better description, unlikely supporter — the commission’s former deputy chairman Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Wan Omar.

As Wan Ahmad sees it, the PKR vice-president ought to have been allowed to contest based on the court decision which saw Tian Chua contesting GE13 on May 5, 2013, when he succeeded in defending the federal territory parliamentary seat of Batu.

Wan Ahmad was commenting on Tian Chua’s disqualification on a “live” television talk show by Bernama News Channel — Ruang Bicara — hosted by Datuk Dahlan Maamor.

The show was aired on Saturday, which was the nomination day for GE14, and Dahlan posted on Facebook part of his conversation with Wan Ahmad.

According to Dahlan, the former EC deputy chairman said the returning officer’s interpretation of the RM2,000 fine imposed on Tian Chua has resulted in the PKR leader’s disqualification as a GE14 candidate. Tian Chua was originally fined RM3,000 by the Shah Alam Sessions Court for insulting a policeman. He filed an appeal and the Shah Alam High Court reduced the fine to RM2,000, and therefore this is something the court would have to decide in the event that Tian Chua files an election petition — which he will, if he has not done so already.

And in the event the court decides in his favour, the result of the Batu contest in GE14 will be null and void. Hence, a by-election will have to be held. That’s how Wan Ahmad views it.

Several lawyers have already expressed the opinion that Tian Chua has got solid grounds to take his predicament to court.

But needless to say and also based on what Wan Ahmad has said, Tian Chua’s day in court will only come after GE14, while the election is just days away. Still, one can never tell.

Wan Ahmad was also asked to comment on the Negeri Sembilan state seat of Rantau.

As we know, Dr Streram Sinnasamy of PKR was refused entry into the nomination centre as he was without an EC-issued pass. So too were his proposer and seconder.

The confusion, ensuing a commotion and a subsequent delay, resulted in his nomination papers not accepted by the returning officer who went on to declare Negeri Sembilan caretaker menteri besar Datuk Mohamad Hassan the winner unopposed — being the sole candidate for the Rantau contest.

It’s rather strange (at least to me) that no other candidates wanted to contest Rembau — be they independents or from PAS. I say it’s strange because for GE14, multi-cornered fights seem to the norm and straight fights are rare, if they do happen at all.

Anyway, let’s go back to Streram. According to Dahlan, from what Wan Ahmad told him during the Ruang Bicara interview, “an EC pass to gain entry into the EC premises is not a prerequisite or condition for a nomination to be accepted”.

The pass is for security purposes and has got nothing to do with requirements for nomination.

In all probability, this case will go to court too ( if a petition is filed ) and should the court decide in Streram’s favour, the Rantau seat too will have to be declared void.

Hence, a poser by Dahlan: What will be Mohamad Hassan’s status, assuming that Barisan National succeeds in forming the Negeri Sembilan state government and he is the menteri besar?

If I may add, Negeri Sembilan will be “menteri besar-less” (if there’s such a word?), at least until the by-election is concluded.