Akhirnya Chua Pergi Jua...

Chua quits all party, gov't posts - Malaysiakini
Syed Jaymal Zahiid Jan 2, 08 3:44pm

Embattled MCA vice-president and Health Minister Dr Chua Soi Lek has today quit politics altogether by relinquishing all his party and government posts with immediate effect. He has also stepped down as the member of parliament for Labis.

Up until his resignation today, he was also the party’s Johor state chief as well as the Batu Pahat division head.Chua, who turned 61 today, made this shocking announcement at a press conference at his ministry office in Putrajaya, which came a day after he vowed he would not resigned in the wake of his involvement in a sex video.

He said that he has informed Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and MCA president Ong Ka Ting of his decision. Chua was appointed health minister by Abdullah soon after the 2004 general elections.

“I am relinquishing my position as health minister, MCA vice-president, Labis MP, Johor MCA liaison chief and Batu Pahat MCA division chief,” he said.

Chua had been entangled in a sex scandal following the mysterious distribution of a video recording of his liaison with a woman he has described as a "personal friend".Yesterday he owned up to being the person in the video but stressed that he would continue performing his duties as a party leader and government minister.

Today, flanked by his supporters from Johor, a calm Chua said that he arrived as the decision to resign because “the rakyat wants me to resign”.

He said that he was disappointed that the people have adopted a holier-than-thou attitude in the matter.“I thought that by my admission of my involvement, the people would forgive me. But I thought wrong,” he said.

“I won't be the first and I won't be the last (politician to be caught in such a situation),” Chua, a married man with three children, told the hastily convened news conference."It is up to the public to judge me," he added.

Chua said his family was fully supportive of his decision and admitted that the scandal was taking a toll.

"I live in a very close-knit family but I am confident that my family will support me," he added.

Video recorded two years ago

The video is believed to have been taken from closed-circuit television and was recorded two years ago.

Chua met Abdullah on Monday to discuss the situation and it was decided then that he had to go public with his identity.The resignation will hit Abdullah's government.

He is expected to announce general elections this year although his administration's mandate runs until May 2009.

Sex scandals among politicians are not uncommon in Malaysia, with several members of the ruling Umno having been forced to resign in recent years.

Defiant to the last, Chua drew a line between his public and private life, refusing to comment on the incident portrayed in the tape.

"If you want to discuss my private life, please do," he told reporters at his press conference. "Maybe you would like to watch the videotape with me."

----------------------------------------

Chua letak jawatan menteri dan parti
Syed Jaymal Zahiid Jan 2, 08 4:56pm

Naib Presiden MCA, Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lok yang telah mengaku sebagai individu dalam satu video seks, telah meletakkan jawatannya sebagai Menteri Kesihatan dan semua jawatannya dalam parti itu, berkuatkuasa serta merta.

Beliau turut meletakkan jawatanya sebagai ahli Parlimen Labis.

Beliau juga merupakan pengerusi MCA Johor serta ketua MCA bahagian Batu Pahat.Chua, yang genap 61 tahun hari ini, membuat pengumuman tersebut di kementeriannya di Putrajaya hari ini.

Katanya, beliau telah memaklumkan kepada Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dan Presiden MCA, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting mengenai keputusannya itu.

Chua dilantik sebagai Menteri Kesihatan dalam kabinet Abdullah selepas pilihanraya umum 2004.

Semalam, Chua mengaku bahawa beliau adalah individu dalam video yang menunjukkan seorang lelaki sedang melakukan hubungan seks dengan seorang wanita dalam bilik sebuah hotel.

Chua juga memberitahu semalam bahawa beliau akan meneruskan tugasnya dalam kerajaan dan parti.

Bagaimanapun, dalam sidang akhbar hari ini, Chua berkata beliau membuat keputusan tersebut kerana "rakyat mahu saya meletakkan jawatan".

Katanya, beliau kecewa kerana ada orang yang 'bersikap seolah-olah mereka lebih bermoral dari orang lain'.

“Saya fikir apabila saya mengakui pembabitan saya itu, orang akan memaafkan saya. Tetapi saya silap," katanya