Embattled Gerakan vice-president Huan Cheng Guan today expressed disappointment over his three-year suspension from the party which, he said, will destroy his political career.

"The suspension will effectively bar me from contesting any party posts in 2011, as well as any contest for member of parliament and state assemblyperson.

"I suspect that some old men in the party are trying their best to kill younger leaders with grassroots support, to clear the path for their princes and princesses to take over the party," he added in a statement released in Parliament.

huan cheng guan gerakan 200609 However, Huan dismissed the possibility of leaving the party to join the opposition .

"Gerakan is my second wife," he told reporters.

Recently, speculation has been rife that the Penang-based Huan might join PKR.

Huan also slammed the party's central working committee (CWC) for announcing his suspension via the media.

"This was (done) in bad faith, to instigate my supporters whom I had taken great pains to pacify," he said.

Describing his suspension as a hasty decision, Huan said it was bulldozed through by certain “selfish individuals” who do not have the interests of the party at heart and who do not see the reality that Gerakan is in today.

“The CWC acted against the spirit and provisions of the party constitution. I was not informed to attend the two meetings which were called to deliberate on my case. (Instead) an interested party who was only an observer or invitee to the CWC meeting was allowed to attack me and participate in the decision making to suspend me.

“While I was not allowed to defend myself, the observer proposed to expel me from the party. This is a case (of) an observer trying to sack an elected vice-president and an officially appointed full CWC member.”

‘Violation of party constitution’

He also observed that the party constitution states that CWC decisions should be based on consensus - both the Malay and Chinese translation state that this means ‘unanimous’.

“How could the decision have been unanimous if I - as a full CWC member - did not even have a chance to express and represent myself?

“(I) learnt that the observer had insisted that I must be expelled, while another wanted myself to be suspended for three years.”

Huan, the Batu Kawan MP, pointed out that the vote taken was clearly a violation of the provision on consensus.

The constitution provides for suspension of membership pending an investigation, and requires that such suspensions be reviewed every six months, if not lifted earlier.

huan cheng guan gerakan penang pc event 150609 05 “There are no provisions that allow for suspension to be used as punishment and for a solid three years. Natural justice has not been served, as no man should be condemned and left unheard.

“I regret that my explanation to the president and CWC members was not considered. Instead they took the opinion of an invitee, who should have had no business at all in the decision- making of the party.

“I protest the move to strip me of my right to fair and equitable treatment guaranteed by the party constitution. The CWC must set up a committee of respectable leaders to investigate the matter.”

However, Huan indicated that he would not file an appeal as the CWC should have investigated the allegations against him through a disciplinary committee. He called on his supporters to remain calm.