'Very unprofessional, disrespectful behavior' - Tian Chua
SHAH ALAM - Former Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Vice President Tian Chua has labelled the move to dismiss him and four other party members from PKR and announce it to the media first as unprofessional and disrespectful.
In a statement published to his Facebook page, Tian Chua said he was deeply disappointed by the actions taken by the party's disciplinary board chairman Datin Dr Tan Yee Kew.
"The Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee has chosen to announce my dismissal to the media first before sending any notification to me and all the other members who were dismissed.
"This is an unprofessional act and is very disrespectful ," he wrote.
On Sunday, PKR officially sacked Tian Chua following his decision to contest as an Independent candidate for the Batu parliamentary seat in the 15th General Election (GE15).
The matter was confirmed by Yee Kew when contacted by Sinar Harian.
Tian Chua said as one of the first few members of the party who witnessed the birth of the movement and was continuously involved in the struggle of the party for more than two decades, he was saddened and disappointed by the decision.
During his days in the party, Tian Chua said he never did anything against the principles or political objectives of the party.
"My conscience is clear. From the very beginning I was prepared to accept the consequences of contesting the election without the blessing of the party leadership. I agree that the party needs to maintain organisational discipline.
"Nevertheless, in the context of the post-GE15 scenario, the opposing parties have put aside their enmity during the election.
"Even old enemies including those who are alleged traitors have reconciled and pledged to cooperate in the formation of the Unity Government," he elaborated.
Tian Chua added that he was not disputing the decision made by the party's leadership, but the harsh measures taken has gone against the spirit of reconciliation and inclusion in the current political environment.
He stressed that he took full responsibility for all of his actions and was not blaming any party.
"I joined the Reformation since 1998 only with the aim of bringing democratic change.Today I am proud to see that years of effort have not been in vain.
"I don't regret any minute spent in this struggle. There are still many challenges ahead of us," he said.
He also promised his supporters he would not slow down in his pursuit for reforms.
"I will not back down from fighting to defend the rights and well-being of the people," he said.
