OUTGOING Damansara MP Tony Pua said his decision not to contest his parliamentary seat in the 2022 general election was made many years ago.

In a message to his friends and supporters, which he posted on Facebook, he said some of them had known “as far back as four or five years ago” that he had intended for the current term in parliament to be his final.

Pua said the decision not to defend the seat was his alone.

“It is my decision, and mine alone, made many years ago to step down from the electoral frontlines,” he wrote, adding that party leaders such Anthony Loke, Gobind Singh Deo and many others had tried to persuade him to continue.

He, however, said the decision not to contest does not mean he is quitting the party.

“I’m not quitting the team,” he said, referring to DAP as a football team.

“I will not be disappearing into the horizon and sail far, far away into the sunset.”

Pua, who said he is aware of his strengths and weaknesses, indicated that he will utilise his strengths to continue helping the party achieve its goals.

For a start, he said he would be fully involved in assisting the party’s publicity machinery and its fundraising campaigns in the coming election.

“Going forward, I’m more than happy to contribute in policy formulation, organisation and execution.

“And when we win (the) government, you can be assured that I will be in the thick of it again, just like in 2018, with our DAP ministers, to help execute the best policies to strengthen our economy and help ordinary Malaysians.”

In expanding his football analogy, Pua said there are many positions in the team – strike, wing, midfield and defence – and in his case, he is just reassigning himself to play a different position “that best utilises my strengths”.

And he also made a promise.

“You can be assured that when called upon to play, Tony Pua will only give his all.”

On the seat, Pua described Damansara as a special seat.

“The name strikes fear in the hearts of those who are corrupt, those who are in Umno and Barisan Nasional.

“Therefore, you would be pleased to know that the next MP for Damansara is no less fearless than Tony Pua, no less of a lion heart, and definitely no less of a workhorse,” he said.

In thanking the residents, supporters and voters of Damansara “who have supported me wholeheartedly over the 15-year journey”, Pua said they had given him incredible majorities in the 2008 (nearly 15,000), 2013 (45,000) and 2018 (106,903) general elections.

“I hope I have made you all proud as your MP.” – October 27, 2022.