Tian Chua sacked from PKR for contesting Batu as independent

PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim today said that long-time member Chua Tian Chang or Tian Chua had been sacked for his insistence on running in the Batu parliamentary constituency. 

"We have sacked him (Tian Chua) as he had gone against party policy… he is standing as an independent," Anwar was quoted as saying by The Malaysian Insight outside the Tambun nomination centre in Perak.

Tian Chua, who held the Batu seat from 2008 to 2018, was disqualified from running in the previous general election due to a RM2,000 fine from a court case. 

He instead endorsed P Prabakaran, an independent running on a PKR ticket who went on to win the 14th general election and who joined the party shortly after. 

Prabakaran was chosen by Pakatan Harapan (PH) to defend his seat at the Nov 19 polls, and will face nine other candidates including Tian Chua, who had said that he would contest the seat as an independent. 

"It is unfortunate that Tian Chua has chosen this path," Anwar was reported as saying. 

"I don’t think this is what a reformist should do. We have to take necessary action as normally, those who contest as independents or leave the party for whatever reason, will be sacked."

Others who will be contesting the Batu seat this time around include lawyer Siti Kasim (independent), Wan Azliana Wan Adnan (Pejuang), Azhar Yahya (Perikatan Nasional) and A Kohilan Pillay (Barisan Nasional).