Tian Chua out of GE14
KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 (Bernama) -- PKR vice-president Tian Chua is out of the 14th general election on May 9.
Tian Chua, whose real name is Chua Tian Chang, had his nomination papers rejected at the nomination centre for the Batu parliamentary seat over a conviction.
Returning Officer Anwar Mohd Zain cited Article 48 of the Federal Constitution for the rejection, and said an individual automatically lost the eligibility to be an elected representative if he or she was sentenced to a jail term of not less than one year or a fine of not less than RM2,000 and did not receive a pardon.
"Based on the advice of the Election Commission legal advisor, Tian Chua was subjected to a fine of RM2,000 which was reduced from the original RM3,000, thus making him ineligible to contest in accordance with the Election (Conduct of Elections) Regulations 1981," he said to reporters after announcing the names of the candidates contesting the Batu seat.
Tian Chua, who held the seat in the last parliament, can initiate a petition after GE14.
Tian Chua was found guilty by the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court in March last year of having used foul language to outrage the modesty of a police officer and was fined RM3,000.
On March 2, the Shah Alam High Court dismissed an appeal by the prosecution to enhance the RM3,000 fine and instead reduced it to RM2,000 in default two months jail.
The Batu seat will now see a four-cornered contest among the BN, PAS and two independent candidates.
The BN candidate is Gerakan vice-president Datuk Dr Dominic Lau Hoe Chai, the PAS candidate is Azhar Yahya and the independents are V. M. Panjamothy Muthusamy and P. Prabakaran Paramesnaran.
-- BERNAMA
