Warning letters: Tian Chua mum, Ginie Lim maintains innocence
Prominent reformasi figure and PKR vice-president Tian Chua today declined to comment on claims that he had been issued a written "warning" from the party.
Earlier today, PKR disciplinary board chairperson Ahmad Kassim, in announcing the axing of five party members, also mentioned that the written warnings were issued against Chua, Machap Jaya state assemblyperson Ginie Lim and Penang PKR women's wing communication chief Carolyn Khor.
Prominent reformasi figure and PKR vice-president Tian Chua today declined to comment on claims that he had been issued a written "warning" from the party.
Earlier today, PKR disciplinary board chairperson Ahmad Kassim, in announcing the axing of five party members, also mentioned that the written warnings were issued against Chua, Machap Jaya state assemblyperson Ginie Lim and Penang PKR women's wing communication chief Carolyn Khor.
Ahmad did not state the reasons for the written warnings.
Chua (above), 57, has been with PKR since 1999 and was a staunch supporter of party president Anwar Ibrahim. However, in recent years, he was believed to be allied with Azmin Ali, who left the party in February.
When contacted, Lim (photo) said she had not received the purported warning letter and was unaware what led to her being a subject of disciplinary actions.
"Freedom of thought, speech, assembly and association is clearly spelled out as one of the top five principles in the party constitution and I believe I have upheld the party constitution in my actions and statements," the Malacca PKR Women's chief told Malaysiakini.
'Red Guard tendency'
Commenting on the string of disciplinary actions against PKR members of late, Lim claimed that oftentimes the burden of proof was on the accused and many were not given a hearing before they were suspended.
The PKR Women's wing central committee member urged party leaders to help close ranks and work towards restoring the people's mandate and turn their sights towards those who "robbed the country".
"I voiced this issue to the party leadership, too, to alert them that if this 'Red Guard' tendency continues, it will hurt the party in the end," she said.
The "Red Guard" was a group of militant students during the Chinese cultural revolution who persecuted those whom they deemed disagreed with Communism and Mao Zedong.
Since the fall of the Pakatan Harapan government in February, PKR has been purging itself of leaders and members who are or were linked to Azmin.
Both Chua and Lim were part of Azmin's platform during the party's fractious leadership elections in 2018.
New NGO not linked to PKR
Meanwhile, Chua said the new "activism-oriented" NGO he was forming was not the result of disciplinary actions initiated against him.
"That is a separate issue. Not related to the party," he said.
He also would not commit to whether he still regarded himself as a PKR member.
On the fact that he is still chairperson of the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) - a federal government agency under the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti), currently headed by Azmin - Chua speculated that he was not asked to vacate the seat after the change of government because the seat did not come with a salary.
"It's not one of those 'usual' political appointments. Umno wouldn't fight for this kind of thing, it has no remuneration...Generally no one cares about it.
"It is not a political appointment, I was appointed (last April by the previous minister Darell Leiking) based on my background (in labour issues)," said Chua, who holds a Masters degree in employment and labour studies from the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague.
He said the MPC is a tripartite body that involves government, corporates and unions. Therefore, any change in the management board must need trilateral consent.
Recently, a poster promoting an event where Azmin would launch MPC's Productivity Report 2020 has been making rounds on social media, sparking speculation about where Chua stood politically.
Chua said that the event, which will only take place online to fulfil social distancing requirements, was not a political matter.
He declined to comment when asked if whether he agreed with Azmin politically. Azmin was widely credited as one of the architects of the fall of the Harapan government.
Report this comment
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
This action cannot be undone.