MCA has sacked a division leader who was last November, stripped of all party positions for apologising to a farmer who was arrested for sharing a video deemed insulting to deputy minister Chong Sin Woon, following the latter's "deity" jibe after the Penang floods.
The dismissal letter, issued by MCA secretary-general Ong Ka Chuan, was received by David Choi on Jan 22 this year.
The letter said that the MCA Presidential Council has received the party Disciplinary Committee's report on Choi's case, on Jan 9, and decided to sack him.
Choi was then given a period of 14 days to appeal against his suspension, but he chose not to.
"The letter did not mention the reason for my sacking, but I think it was related to the case of me apologising to the Taiping farmer.
"When I attended the Disciplinary Committee hearings, I explained my action but they told me I should not have apologised (to the farmer)," Choi told Malaysiakini when contacted.
In November last year, Choi was stripped of all party positions in the Indera Mahkota division, including as its public complaints bureau chief, committee member, and GE14 operation room, banner and pamphlet chief, after apologising to the farmer who was released from a two-day remand for sharing a Facebook live video last week, deemed insulting to Deputy Education Minister Chong (Sin Woon).
This was following Chong's jibe against Lim Guan Eng, saying that despite the Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng's “tokong (deity-like)” status, he was unable to prevent the flood that ravaged the state on Nov 4 and 5, and therefore one “must not fight with the heavens”. Chong has since apologised over the remark.
The farmer was arrested in Taiping, Perak, and brought to Kuantan, Pahang, to be remanded for sharing the video, in which a netizen had insulted Chong using vulgar words.
'Sacking unreasonable'
Speaking further, Choi dubbed his sacking as unreasonable.
Choi said the farmer was"luckily" able to cope with the pressure of being detained for two days, while some others may have committed suicide.
"We saw his (the farmer's) hand was shaking when he was released (from remand), we can feel his sentiment, but the current MCA leadership is numb.
When asked about the appeal, Choi said he only replied the letter way after the given 14 days, that was on March 10, to criticise the party's action.
"I don't want to appeal because I am disappointed with the current leadership. Now the 14 days are over, I cannot appeal anymore. I only replied them to ask them whether they still remember the motive of the party," he said.
When asked about his future plans, Choi said he will reactivate his NGO set up three years ago, to monitor candidates in Kuantan and Indera Mahkota in the coming election.
In 2012, Choi's membership as the Indera Mahkota MCA Youth chief was suspended for three years for taking a strong stance against the party leadership in regards to the Lynas rare earth refinery in Gebeng, Pahang.
He resumed his membership in 2015. -Mkini
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