PKR vice-president Tian Chua has hit out at fake news on social media that falsely presents him as having left the party.
“According to the story (and images), supposedly me and some leaders have been listed as part of the leadership of an unrecognised party that is being established,” said Tian Chua in a statement today.
While Tian Chua did not specifically name the “new party”, it is believed that he was commenting on a social media post naming him alongside prominent PKR defectors Azmin Ali and Zuraida Kamaruddin as part of the leadership of a Parti Negara Malaysia.
“I actually don’t care about such things and am not interested in responding to such a provocation.
“Yet many friends ask and so many telephone calls have disrupted my peace – so I simply declare the rejection of this fake news.”
The former Batu MP said this was not the first time he had experienced such a “dirty trick”.
“This tactic was used during the last party election (in 2018) then repeated during the annual congress (in December 2019).
“The same trick has been used many times with the purpose of spreading the seeds of doubt and destroying the party. Clearly, this group of liars have a low IQ if they believe that party members can be fooled.”
Two-term Rawang assemblyperson Gan Pei Nei is another leader pictured in the fake poster. She dismissed it saying:
“This is fake news. I am loyal to the party and won’t leave PKR,” said the PKR supreme council member.
Tian Chua described those planning dirty attacks on himself and other leaders are “unethical” and possibly a tiny minority of PKR members who may be “too bored and do not know how to use their free time at home to be productive during the movement control order (MCO)”.
“Since the last party election, this group has shamelessly and tirelessly pursued a conspiracy to further the hostility between the members, thus dismantling the unity of the party,” he added.
He urged them to bring an end to political hostilities to fight the spread of Covid-19 and instead focus on being positive, saying that even staying at home is an important contribution.
He also urged Malaysians not to spread the virus of lies and hate, but to spread love instead and stay safe.
Tian Chua has been facing pressure within the party ever since Azmin, Zuraida and a number of other MPs to whom he is perceived to have been allied with, precipitated the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government by teaming up with Bersatu to join Umno, PAS and minor parties in forming the new Perikatan Nasional administration.
On March 1, he suffered a minor assault from an unruly PKR member outside the party headquarters. – Malaysiakini