PKR members who run as independents for the upcoming polls are automatically sacked from the party, says party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
This comes after former PKR vice-president Tian Chua threw his hat in the ring for the Batu parliamentary polls – his former seat – despite Pakatan Harapan (PH) having announced Batu incumbent P. Prabakaran to seek re-election there.
Anwar, who is also Opposition leader, said Chua should not have done so, adding that it is party policy that members who contest as independents, regardless of their justification, be given the boot.
“It is unfortunate that he has chosen his path,” he told reporters after he was announced as a candidate for the Tambun polls in Perak, according to The Vibes.
“He is a firebrand, a dedicated reformist. I don’t think that is what a reformist should do; it is a dead end to his political career.
“We will have to take necessary action.”
Similarly, Prabakaran, who contested Batu in the 14th General Election (GE14) as an independent and joined PKR after that, said he was disappointed at Chua’s “selfishness”.
“When we talk about national PH taking over the Government, he cares more about himself,” the Malay Mail quoted Prabakaran as saying, adding that he is confident the party will act against Chua.
Meanwhile, Chua, whose real name is Chua Tian Chang, said he is prepared to face any form of action from the party as a result of his running as an independent candidate.
“Always with PKR and PH – in spirit”
“I realise that in this Batu constituency, I’m not a part of the PKR candidates’ list (for the 15th General Elections or GE15). But in spirit, I’m always with PH and PKR,” Chua told reporters before filing his nomination papers this morning, Malaysiakini reported.
Chua, who said he has not quit PKR, added that he is contesting as an independent to “ensure Batu does not lose to PKR’s opponents” and because Prabakaran is “vulnerable” to lose.
He noted that while PKR has held the constituency for 14 years since he won it in the 2008 general election, the fight to defend it has gotten tougher with intense competition, Barisan Nasional’s (BN) machinery and enemies of the party.
“The composition of Batu has also changed enormously, from 70,000 voters to over 100,000 voters (while) the demographic also changed, with an increase in Malay voters,” he added.
Chua failed to defend Batu during GE14 as he was disqualified on nomination day over a High Court ruling in March 2018 that saw him being fined RM2,000 for insulting the modesty of a police officer.
Article 48(1) of the Federal Constitution states that a person is disqualified as an MP or from contesting if they have been imprisoned for a term of not less than a year or fined not less than RM2,000.
In 2019, however, the High Court declared the Election Commission’s (EC) decision to bar Chua from contesting in GE14 as “unjust and equitable”, and that Chua could contest in elections once more.
Ten candidates are contesting in Batu – a Malay-majority Kuala Lumpur seat with almost 80,000 eligible voters – for the Nov 19 polls.
Apart from Prabakaran and Chua, three independents, including lawyer-activist Siti Kasim and social media influencer Nur Fathiah Syazwana Shaharuddin @ Cleopatra, and five candidates from BN, Perikatan Nasional (PN), Warisan, Gabungan Tanah Air (GTA) and Parti Rakyat Malaysia were announced as candidates after nominations closed at 10am. – Nov 5, 2022
Main photo credit: BFM News
