Gerakan Youth chief Lim Si Pin has been threatened with a defamation suit for claiming that PKR vice-president Tian Chua owns a RM800,000 luxury car that is way above his means.

At a press conference today to answer Lim’s allegations, Tian Chua said claims he bought a Mercedes Benz S-Class that is above his paygrade insinuates he is corrupt, and demanded an apology within 24 hours.

"I demand (that he) retracts his insinuation and vicious attack on my personality, implying that I had engaged in irregular and corrupt practices," he said.

NONE Lim had last Saturday questioned how Tian Chua, as Batu MP with a salary of RM8,000 a month, is able to afford a RM800,000 Mercedes Benz S-Class (left) .

"This S-Class Mercedes does not exist and I have never used it. What I am using now is a E-Class Mercedes (valued at) RM90,000," Tian Chua said.

Armed with the registration and loan documents, Tian Chua, whose real name is Chua Tian Chang, explained that he purchased the vehicle in April last year after his Toyota Camry was involved in an accident.

"I bought a second-hand Mercedes E-series. It was more than 10 years old when I bought it and the price was RM90,000. I got a loan from Public Bank for which I have to pay RM1,368 every month.

“So, I am sure this is something within my means. As a MP and a national leader of PKR, I (am required) to travel a lot and I need a stable car," he said

Lim is said to have made the statement during the Penang Gerakan Youth general assembly last Saturday.

Tian Chua was flanked by PKR Youth information chief Lee Khai Loon and Seputeh PKR branch chief Ngeow Chow Ying.

'Sexist statement is low class'

Ngeow ( right ), who is also acting as Tian Chua’s legal counsel, reiterated that Lim should apologise within 24 hours of the press conference being held.

NONE "This statement was made with bad intention and it is to attack my client's character and integrity as a Member of Parliament.

“We insist and demand he retracts (his statement) and apologise within 24 hours from today. In the event he refuses... then we will take legal action against him for defamation," she said.

Ngeow also lambasted Lim for suggesting that the Penang electorate was like a man who had been married for a long time, and demanded that he apologise for this.

According to Tian Chua, Lim had described the electorate like a man who, after being married for a long time, would "naturally" find a mistress.

"As a woman, I am also very shocked to hear that a person of such high standing in society would make a statement that is totally disrespectful to the sanctity of marriage, implying that it is all right to have affairs," said Ngeow.

Similar analogies were also used by Penang Gerakan chief, Dr Teng Hock Nan, during the party's state conference on Sunday.

Information chief Lee said the Gerakan Youth chief should debate issues, rather than subscribe to rhetoric.

"We can see that he is using sexist statements to get attention and publicity. This is low class politics... it is better to come out and even debate on Pakatan Rakyat policies and how we can rule, compared with the BN for the past 50 years," he said.