Prabakaran: Anwar tried to talk Tian Chua out of running

GE15 | Pakatan Harapan's Batu candidate P Prabakaran has revealed that he was aware of Tian Chua's intention to run as an independent in the constituency as early as two weeks before nomination.

Prabakaran (above) said this was because Chua, who held the seat for two terms until 2018, and his representatives were persistent in trying to push the Batu incumbent to give up the PKR candidacy.

When the pressure continued, Prabakaran informed PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, who said he would try to dissuade Chua.

"I'm not sure what conversation they had but I can tell you that it failed," the incumbent MP said when met on the campaign trail today.

In the fortnight leading up to Nomination Day last Saturday, Prabakaran said Chua's representatives had reached out to his team to ask the incumbent MP to step aside.

"There were arguments between his team and mine, where they were asking me not to contest.

"Then two days before nomination, he again contacted my team to ask me to return the watikah (authorisation letter from the party to contest) and to talk to Anwar to place him instead," Prabakaran added.

Change of fate

Chua was nominated as PKR's candidate in 2018, but was disqualified because he was fined RM2,000 by the Shah Alam High Court for insulting a police officer during a sedition investigation.

Having held the seat for two terms from 2008, he then campaigned for Prabakaran, who was at the time running as an independent.

Prabakaran, then a student, won with a whopping 23,438 votes, and became the youngest person elected into Parliament at the age of 22.

Following his victory, Prabakaran joined PKR and in May defeated Chua to become Batu PKR chief in the party polls.

READ MORE: First time voter? Check out our GE15 guide

Chua became a symbol of rebellion during the Reformasi era, when he was photographed sitting in front of an advancing Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) vehicle at a protest in support of Anwar.

His fate in PKR changed when he became associated with the MPs who left the party, toppling the Harapan government in February 2020.

Even though he remained in PKR, he was ostracised in the party because he was seen as an ally to former deputy party president Azmin Ali, who led the defections in the Sheraton Move.

Yesterday, Chua stressed he had aligned himself with Azmin in the 2018 party election to ensure party stability, but did not join the defections.

‘I was pressured to defect as payback’

Revisiting the days and weeks surrounding the Sheraton Move, Prabakaran said he was at the time hounded by those who wanted him to defect, purportedly as payback for winning in GE14.

"Because he (Chua) helped me during GE14, some of his team members were keen to get me to join the Sheraton Move. I rejected it. I have my own principles.

"I received a lot of calls during the Sheraton Move. Even after that, I received a lot of calls for me to jump ship," he added.

Prabakaran also stressed he did not lobby to remain in the seat but was proven to be a deserving candidate when he defeated Chua in the party polls.

"Although he was a two-term MP and a party vice-president at the time, he still lost to a one-term MP. That's how bad his political structure was in Batu.

"Even my committee member's vote was higher than Chua, in a contest for a different position.

"That's why the party thought that his standing in Batu was weak," he said.

Aspirations of Reformasi generation

Although Prabakaran saw Chua's move to stand as an independent candidate as "selfish", the latter said he was contesting to protect the seat from falling to BN or Perikatan Nasional's hands.

Chua stressed the need to ensure the continuation of the reformation spirit in the constituency and this reflected the sentiment on the ground.

"If you care to check with the voters, many are happy that at least I provide that option for them to choose in order to retain the seat for the progressive voices.

"I’m not representing myself. I represent the aspirations of the Reformasi generation.

"We have contributed to toppling Umno and rejecting corruption. We have achieved that, but I think this voice must stay in order to continue participating in this discourse," he was quoted as saying by The Vibes.

He also apologised to Anwar, who said Chua has been automatically sacked from the party.

Batu is the most contested seat in this general election, with 10 candidates including from Harapan, BN, PN, Warisan, Pejuang and Parti Rakyat Malaysia.

Prominent lawyer Siti Kasim, social media influencer Nur Fathiah Syazwana Shaharuddin, and Too Cheng Huat are also running as independent candidates.

PKR senior leader tells Tian Chua to withdraw from Batu race immediately

Tian Chua apologises to Anwar for contesting in Batu

Twenty-four hottest seats to watch out for in GE15

Batu indie candidate slips through EC checks with 'vulgar' name on ballot

Tian Chua’s fate: Anwar says automatic axe, Rafizi says decision after GE

Tian Chua says ready to face action for running as independent in Batu