Praba of Batu has joined PKR, says Tian Chua

Law student who was elected as an independent candidate after Tian Chua's disqualification fills up the forms to be PKR member.

P Prabakaran was elected as an independent in Batu after Tian Chua was disqualified.

PETALING JAYA: Law student P Prabakaran, who was elected as MP for Batu in Tian Chua’s absence, officially joined PKR after filling up the party membership forms today, Chua said.

“We will be making the announcement later today to celebrate with other voters,” Tian Chua told FMT.

Prabakaran, 22, will be the youngest member of the new Parliament. He was elected by Batu voters against Gerakan’s Dominic Lau by a 24,438-vote majority.

Tian Chua, the former MP, had been disqualified from contesting in the election because of a RM2,000 court fine on a charge of insulting a policeman.

The Federal Constitution disqualifies anyone from standing as an election candidate for five years after being sentenced to not less than a year’s jail, or a fine of not less than RM2,000.

Following Tian Chua’s disqualification, PKR members in Batu approached Prabakaran to contest under the PKR ticket and supported his campaign.

Before polling day on May 9, Tian Chua denied a claim that Prabakaran would be subsequently asked to step down and allow a by-election to be held. Tian Chua said he would continue to challenge his disqualification in court. -FMT