Tian Chua wants EC to clarify candidacy status

PUTRAJAYA: PKR vice-president Tian Chua has withdrawn his appeal to challenge his disqualification from contesting in the 14th general election (GE14).

Lawyer Gurdial Nijar Singh, who represented Tian Chua, told reporters that instead they would be writing to the Election Commission (EC) to clarify if Tian Chua is a legitimate candidate and is eligible to contest in future elections or by-elections or if he can accept it should he be nominated to the Dewan Negara.

“We still want his status to be declared (so that) if there was a by-election or if he was nominated into the Dewan Negara, we do not want this same thing to happen again,” he said.

Tian Chua’s withdrawal was accepted by Court of Appeal judge Datuk Umi Kalthum Abdul Majid with no order as to costs.

However, if the EC does not respond in writing to their request, Tian Chua will file afresh at the Kuala Lumpur High Court to clarify his status of eligibility for future elections.

“What we will be doing, within the next couple of days, is to refile an application at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur to have his status declared and clarified once and for all,” Gurdial said.

On April 30, Tian Chua filed a suit against the EC and its Returning Officer Anwar Mohd Zai for disqualifying him as a candidate for the Batu parliamentary seat on nomination day (April 28).

The RO disqualified Tian Chua’s nomination stating that the RM2,000 fine imposed on him by the Shah Alam High Court on March 2 made him ineligible to contest. – by Vathani Panirchellvum