Tian Chua eyes Parliament comeback, open to contesting Batu again
6 hours ago
Minderjeet Kaur
The PKR veteran says he still has the energy to serve as an MP and that Batu constituents want him back
Tian Chua, who was Batu MP for two terms, could not stand for re-election in 2018 when his nomination paper was rejected over a RM2,000 court fine.
PETALING JAYA: PKR veteran Tian Chua says he hopes to return as a member of Parliament and is open to contesting Batu again, citing what he described as strong support from constituents.
However, the 62-year-old said the final decision on where he contests would be up to the party leadership as part of its election strategy.
“In the short term, of course, I think I still have the energy to contribute in Parliament, and I would like to go back to Parliament,” he told FMT in an interview.
Tian Chua was the Batu MP for two terms from 2008. He was barred from defending the seat in the 2018 general election after the returning officer rejected his nomination on grounds related to a RM2,000 court fine.
He then backed independent candidate P Prabakaran, who won the seat and then later joined the party.
Tian Chua was sacked by PKR in January 2023 after contesting Batu as an independent in the 2022 general election against Prabakaran, whom the party had chosen to defend the seat.
He said he has maintained a close relationship with the constituency. “For the community in Batu, they have been expressing a strong desire that I would come back to serve them because I have been connected to them for a few decades now.”
PKR as a permanent political force
Beyond his own parliamentary ambitions, Tian Chua said his larger political goal was to ensure PKR survived and developed into a political institution that could be passed on to future generations.
“I think the main goal is that PKR wants to leave a legacy so that this political party’s name, Parti Keadilan Rakyat, is here to stay,” he said.
He said the party should continue championing inclusivity and equality while building a political base that could withstand changes in electoral fortunes.
Tian Chua pointed to long-established political parties in Western democracies, such as the Labour, Conservative and Liberal parties of the UK, which had survived for generations despite electoral victories and defeats.
“They go up and down,” he said, adding that such parties nevertheless remained permanent features of their respective political systems and continued to represent particular sections of society and political values.
He said PKR should aspire to build a similar lasting political institution. “So for me, that is the main thing that I hope to leave for the future generation,” he said.
However, the 62-year-old said the final decision on where he contests would be up to the party leadership as part of its election strategy.
“In the short term, of course, I think I still have the energy to contribute in Parliament, and I would like to go back to Parliament,” he told FMT in an interview.
Tian Chua was the Batu MP for two terms from 2008. He was barred from defending the seat in the 2018 general election after the returning officer rejected his nomination on grounds related to a RM2,000 court fine.
He then backed independent candidate P Prabakaran, who won the seat and then later joined the party.
Tian Chua was sacked by PKR in January 2023 after contesting Batu as an independent in the 2022 general election against Prabakaran, whom the party had chosen to defend the seat.
He said he has maintained a close relationship with the constituency. “For the community in Batu, they have been expressing a strong desire that I would come back to serve them because I have been connected to them for a few decades now.”
PKR as a permanent political force
Beyond his own parliamentary ambitions, Tian Chua said his larger political goal was to ensure PKR survived and developed into a political institution that could be passed on to future generations.
“I think the main goal is that PKR wants to leave a legacy so that this political party’s name, Parti Keadilan Rakyat, is here to stay,” he said.
He said the party should continue championing inclusivity and equality while building a political base that could withstand changes in electoral fortunes.
Tian Chua pointed to long-established political parties in Western democracies, such as the Labour, Conservative and Liberal parties of the UK, which had survived for generations despite electoral victories and defeats.
“They go up and down,” he said, adding that such parties nevertheless remained permanent features of their respective political systems and continued to represent particular sections of society and political values.
He said PKR should aspire to build a similar lasting political institution. “So for me, that is the main thing that I hope to leave for the future generation,” he said.
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