PAS mulls legal action against Chua Tee Yong

LABIS, Jan 24 — Johor PAS is looking into legal action against Deputy Agriculture Minister Chua Tee Yong for accusing the party’s Tenang candidate of complaining to a Chinese coffeeshop owner for selling beer.

The accusation came as the MCA continues to exploit PAS’s Islamic agenda to win the support of the Chinese voters who form 39 per cent of the Tenang electorate.

According to a China Press report today, Chua was quoted as saying that he received complaints that Normala Sudirman had asked a coffeeshop owner why beer was available in the shop.

The PAS camp, however, denied that the former teacher had made the remarks and challenged Chua, who is also the Labis MP, to back his accusation with details.

“Johor PAS has decided to give the Labis MP 24 hours to state where, which shop and when our candidate made the statement,” said state PAS deputy chief Dzulkefly Ahmad.

“If he fails to do so we will proceed will legal action. Our lawyers are looking at the statement,” he added.

Dzulkefly told a press conference here that PAS would let the matter rest if Chua denies that he had made the accusation.

“If he says the report was false then we will accept his explanation,” said Dzulkefly.

Meanwhile, DAP publicity chief Tony Pua urged Chua to apologise, describing the accusation as baseless.

“I call on him to apologise to the candidate for making an irresponsible and baseless accusation,” said Pua.

“I am disappointed that Chua Tee Yong has gone so low in politics by making such an accusation in order to scare the Chinese voters,” he added.

When contacted, Chua refused to name the shop and stood by his remarks.

“Of course I cannot name the shop, the owner wants to remain anonymous,” Chua told The Malaysian Insider.

Normala came under attack from the MCA previously for her refusal to shake hands with men, citing Islamic principles.

The Chinese party’s president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek had described her practice as unacceptable to the community.

Normala is facing Umno’s Azahar Ibrahim, the former Rengit assistant district officer, in the January 30 poll. - Malaysian Insider