FORMER PKR vice-president Tian Chua has described his sacking from the party as “very unprofessional, deeply regrettable and disrespectful”, saying the move is unconducive to reconciliation and inclusion.

The former two-term Batu MP said it was disrespectful of PKR disciplinary committee chairman Dr Tan Yee Kew to announce the dismissal of Chua and four other party members without informing the sacked parties first.

The five were sacked for standing in the general election and the Sarawak polls without the party’s consent.

Chua said as a PKR activist who had witnessed the birth of PKR and who was involved in the party struggle struggle for more than two decades, he was saddened by the party leadership’s decision.

“Throughout the journey of this struggle, I had never once done anything contrary to the principles or political objectives of the party. My conscience is clear,” he said.

Chua said he was ready to face the consequences when he took the decision to stand as an Independent in the general election.

“However, in the context of the post-GE15 scenario, the opposing parties have put aside their enmity. Even old enemies, including those accused of being traitors, have reconciled and pledged to cooperate in the formation of the unity government.”

PKR did not pick Chua to stand for the Baru seat he won in the 2008 general election. Instead, the party fielded P. Prabakaran, who won the seat in 2018 as an Independent.

In the 2022 election, Prabakaran held off nine challengers to keep the seat by a majority of 22,241 votes.

His nearest challenger was ustaz Azhar Yahya of Perikatan Nasional while Chua, who came a distant fourth, picked up only 4,603 votes.

PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said Chua could appeal the sacking and that he had 14 days to do it. – January 9, 2023.