First, there is no issue of a collapsing among Pakatan Rakyat coalition parties in Johor over the past two year as claimed by Dr. Boo as PKR have always invited DAP leaders for its functions and vice versa. This was confirmed by Dr. Boo himself. I re-quote what he said: “Most DAP and PKR leaders and those at the grassroots have no problem cooperating”.
It must be noted that Dato’ Chua and Dr. Boo rarely appear on the same stage for a while due to no invitation by DAP Johor and Dr. Boo’s refusal to accept PKR’s invitation except in occasions when Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim was the main guest of honor.
Don't misconstrue Jui Meng's firmness
Second, to call our Party Vice President cum Johor Chairman Dato’ Chua as being arrogant is unfounded as he always treat all with great respect but he is a man that is firm in his own believe and will not over-step the authority vested upon him.
His firmness may be misconstrued by Dr. Boo as being arrogant. When the due date of 31 July 2011 to finalise seats negotiation at the state level has dawned and there were still seats overlapping with PAS and DAP, Dato’ Chua proposed to surrender the overlapping seats to the Head Quarter level for a decision.
Johor PKR had never voluntarily revealed any information on seats negotiation to the press but have always been put on the awkward position of having to respond to revelations by PAS and DAP. PKR Johor is clear that all its state leaders will abide by any decision by the top brass on seats allocation.
Boo has NO RIGHT to demand, PKR would never tolerate any breach of trust
Third, if the Malaysiakini report is true that Dr. Boo demanded that Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim or Dato’ Seri Wan Azizah take over Chua's post as state chief to coordinate ties among Pakatan parties in Johor, then Dr. Boo should know that he has no right to demand, more so when he is not a PKR member. How PKR manages its own affairs is strictly the prerogative of PKR.
But PKR welcomes complaints from leaders of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition parties if there is any PKR leader has breached discipline matter that may hinder co-operation. PKR will act upon compliant swiftly but the allegations against Dato’ Chua thus far have got nothing to do with disciplinary matter that warrants any action by the Party.
Boo is contradicting himself and has breached PR guidelines
Fourth, Dr. Boo went on to say that improve co-ordination is crucial if Pakatan is to capture Putrajaya in the coming general election. Then, it is puzzling why he cannot let the top brass decides on the seats allocation and, in the meantime, lead the grass roots at Johor state level to work closely with PAS and PKR to touch voters.
PKR has had no problem with such arrangement and will accept the final outcome of who will get to contest where. PKR Johor sees Dr. Boo and other DAP national leaders made regular announcements that such and such a seat should be given to DAP. This is against the guideline on “non-disclosure” set by Pakatan Rakyat Council.
Show evidence immediately of Chua's misconduct, stop behaving like a child
Fifth. Dr. Boo must produce evidence to show Dato’ Chua had himself repeatedly announced that he will represent PKR in Gelang Patah.
Reporters confirmed that Dato’ Chua had never made any such announcement. It was reporters who posed such a question to Dato’ Chua every time Dr. Boo made any public statement. Dato’ Chua knows very well the seats belong to the Party and only the Party President can decide who to contest where.
Sixth, it is untrue that PKR state chief, Dr Zaleha Mustafa went against the oral agreement between the late Abdul Razak and DAP as she could not contest without the blessing from the top brass of DAP and PKR.
It is obvious that Abdul Razak had returned Gelang Patah to DAP before his death in August 2007 as Dr Zaleha Mustafa had to ask Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim to ask DAP for Gelang Patah in February 2008.
PKR was aware that Gelang Patah belonged to DAP for the 12th General Election but Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim managed to secure Gelang Patah for Dr Zaleha to contest without any condition to return the seat.
Gelang Patah negotiations blow-by-blow
Seven, it is also untrue that in the latest attempt to conclude the seat negotiations, DAP had convinced PAS to give PKR the Tebrau parliamentary seat in return for DAP to contest in Gelang Patah. PKR attended only 4 seats negotiation meetings at state level.
The first meeting was with DAP and PAS together where each stated the basis how seats should be allocated. Dr. Boo had made unkind remarks on PKR’s basis and caused the meeting to adjourn without much progress and discussions.
PKR attended the Second meeting with PAS alone and it was in this meeting when PKR offered PAS the Sri Gading seat for Simpang Rengam that PAS countered offered PKR with Tebrau for Puteri Wangsa.
PKR attended the Third meeting with DAP alone and the whole meeting mainly revolved around Gelang Patah. In this meeting, Dato’ Chua’s personality was attacked just as what had been revealed regularly by Dr. Boo to the press.
PKR offered in this meeting to let DAP takes Gelang Patah and PKR takes Bakri but was rejected. Never had Dato’ Chua or PKR forced it upon DAP to accept such a proposal. It is a proposal and it could only be construed as forcing upon DAP to accept the proposal if DAP has no other option but accept. But in that case, it would not be a proposal but an order.
PKR values co-operation and will not order our allies to do anything that they are not agreeable. The fourth and final seats negotiation meeting ended with a deadlock and PKR proposed to let the overlapping seats be settled at the National level as laid down in the Pakatan Rakyat seats negotiation guideline.
Already escalated to national level
Eight, Dr. Boo said that DAP had also suggested that PAS gives more state seats to PKR for a balanced scenario which PKR can confirm it was true but this took place long after the fourth and final meeting when the overlapping seats are already being handled at the national level.
PKR Johor abided by the guideline and informed the national leaders in charge of seats negotiation each time a suggestion was forwarded to us by Dr. Boo. PKR Johor does not have authority to engage in formal discussion at the Johor level after the matter was surrendered to the national level.
Another lie by Boo to buttress his case
Nine, as to Dr. Boo’s claim that Dato’ Chua had arbitrarily rejected a proposal, as well as consensus reached by grassroots leaders of the three parties where Johor Bahru parliamentary seat be contested by PKR, Stulang by DAP and Tanjung Puteri by PAS is again untrue.
PKR’s stand is that all seats belong to the Party and no one has the single right to let go of any seat without the prior consent of the Party’s top brass. Hence, PKR Johor Bahru had violated Party’s direction and the agreement could not be binding on PKR.
I was instructed by the Party not Dato’ Chua to communicate the PKR’s stand to the leaders of the three parties of Johor Bahru parliamentary division or branch in 2011.
Unkind, malicious and untrue
Ten, again it has little to do with Dato’ Chua over the Gelang Patah impasse and it is unkind to say that Dato’ Chua does not respect the long history of close collaboration among the three parties, and has distorted history to claim that only PKR contested Gelang Patah in the past, dismissing the previous agreement between PKR and DAP.
As explained in the Sixth paragraph, all other facts before February 2008 were rendered irrelevant after DAP had given Gelang Patah to PKR to contest in March 2008 without a condition that it must be returned after, as negotiation and decision was done at the top brass level. However, PKR had offered to swap seats but was rejected by DAP.
What type of man would tarnish a colleague's reputation so desperately
Eleven, Dr. Boo must show evidences of Dato’ Chua “turning PKR into another MCA” that defames DAP and its leaders.
Twelve, Dato’ Chua denied he has been pressuring Dr. Boo to give up the Bakri or Segamat parliamentary seats in exchange of Gelang Patah. It was merely a proposal that DAP is free to reject and ignore such a proposal.
Eleven, Dr. Boo has to show proof to substantiate his allegation that “The reason behind Dato’ Chua's selfish and unreasonable demand is to find himself a safe seat”. As explained in the Fifth paragraph, Dato’ Chua is in no position to demand where he wishes to contest.
Lastly, it is most unfortunate that Mr. Karpal Singh had joined in to support Dr. Boo’s claim in his call for Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim to conduct an enquiry.
Steven Choong Shiau Yoon
PKR National Deputy Secretary General cum Johor Election Director
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