PETALING JAYA: Former PKR vice-president Tian Chua has apologised to party president Anwar Ibrahim for contesting the Batu parliamentary seat in the general election (GE15) as an independent candidate.
Anwar, who called the move “disappointing”, yesterday said that it was PKR’s policy to automatically sack such members when asked what action the party would take on Tian Chua.
“I have to respect the president’s authority. I understand Anwar’s dilemma. As president, he is obliged to follow the party’s rules,” Tian Chua was quoted as saying in Berita Harian.
“I really understand his disappointment and I apologise for doing something that has saddened him,” he said.
The former Batu MP also hoped his candidacy would not affect his relationship with Anwar.
Despite Anwar’s assertion, however, PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli said last night that the party will only discuss Tian Chua’s move to contest the Batu seat as an independent after GE15.
He added that this was in line with the party’s decision to suspend all disciplinary proceedings during GE15.
When confirming his nomination yesterday, Tian Chua said he was contesting as an independent candidate to ensure that PKR “does not risk losing Batu to PKR’s opponents.”
PKR named P Prabakaran to defend the seat he won as an independent in the last general election (GE14) before joining the party.
Tian Chua was the Batu MP from 2008 to 2018 but failed to defend his seat in GE14 after he was disqualified on nomination day.
The Batu seat will be a contest among 10 candidates, with big names like MIC vice-president A Kohilan Pillay (Barisan Nasional) and Gerak Independent’s Siti Kasim in the fray.
Other candidates include Azhar Yahya from Perikatan Nasional, P Naganathan (Warisan) and Wan Azliana Wan Adnan (Pejuang). - FMT
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