MCA sacks Chua Soi Lek

"We did so with a heavy heart after giving much consideration to the damage inflicted upon the party image brought about by his (Chua) sex scandal featured in the DVD." 

Giam Say Khoon, The Sun Daily

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 27, 2009): The MCA presidential council today endorsed the decision of its discplinary board to sack party deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek with immediate effect.

After a five-hour meeting which ended about midnight, party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said the council had collectively made a decision to accept the board's recommendation.

"We did so with a heavy heart after giving much consideration to the damage inflicted upon the party image brought about by his (Chua) sex scandal featured in the DVD.

"This decision has been made in the best interest of the party," he announced to the Press.

Ong said under party constitution Article 127 (A), Chua is allowed to appeal to the Central Committee within 14 days from the date he receives the decision of the council.

He said in accordance with Article 128, the decision of the central committee on matters of discipline shall be final and conclusive and shall not be subject to question by or in any court of law.

"We, as members of the presidential council will stand as one and we shall collectively be responsible for this decision.

"With respect to (Prime Minister) Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, as the chairman of the Barisan Nasional, the party president will explain the decision of the presidential council," he said.

Ong did not take any questions from the Press.

Chua had attended the council meeting but left at 9.30pm when the council started to discuss on the board's recommendation.

He was summoned to appear before the discplinary board on Aug 4 after the presidential council had decided to let the board to clear up the "back log" cases including a complaint lodged by Simpang Renggang division chief Eng Cheng Guan that Chua's sex DVD scandal last year had tarnished the party's image.

Although, Eng withdrew the complaint on July 30, five days before the hearing took place, the board did not entertain the division chief's decision as it claimed that the withdrawal was not approved by the board.

Speaking to reporters before the decision of the presidential council was made known, Chua had told reporters he would endorse the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) if it is meant to save the party.

"I have confidence that MCA members will not let one man self-destroy the party. It will be a sad day for MCA that if we do not rise to the challenge of saving the party," he said after exiting from the meeting about 9.30pm last night.

"Saving the party is the only way to move forward so that we can contribute to strengthen Barisan Nasional (BN) and together help to achieve One Malaysia.

"Today it is not about Chua Soi Lek, neither it is about Ong Tee Keat. It is about MCA as the second largest component party of BN still drifting without direction and purpose.

"It has been more than 16 months since the general election and 10 months since the last party election, but there has been little evidence of change.

"There is no closing of ranks, no unity, morale is low and suspicion is the order of the day," he said.

However, he said it was not his idea to call for an EGM to topple party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat as he had said it many times that he is not interested to become a minister.

"I do not have many supporters, I am not a minister, a state liaison chief. I do not have the power to mobilise the members for an EGM," he said.

Chua was caught in the sex DVD scandal last year and he resigned as a party vice-president and health minister, he was elected as the deputy president in October last year.

He added that as a leader who loves the party, he will abide and respect the decision of the board and the council.

He said he appreciated that a copy of the recommendation was given to him at 5pm today.

"I hope the party president (Tee Keat) can sleep well tonight.

"I think the members will be able to understand why such decision is made. Since I became the deputy president (last year), the party president had treated me as his enemy in the party. We do not interact much and he even sees me as his biggest threat," he said.

Chua said it is an open secret that those who are not on the same page with Ong are regarded as his enemies or a threat and these people are labeled as:

> Anti-MCA and out to destroy the party;

> Gangsters; and

> Cooperating with businessmen and taking money from them to topple him.

Asked what were the grounds to sack him, Chua sarcastically replied: "Tarnishing the party image is a very severe crime, I am lucky they did not sentence me to death".

Asked if he would appeal to the decision, Chua said he has yet to make a decision but he has ruled out the possibility that he will join the opposition.

Although the presidential council had endorsed the decision,

On whether the decision was fair to him and if it would split the party, he said the question should be answered by the members.

Asked if the decision will be the end of his political career, he said: "I do not know. I am not as clever as usual".