Gerakan VP: Party out to finish me

GEORGE TOWN: Gerakan vice-president Huan Cheng Guan is crying foul over his three-year suspension for openly attacking the party and its leadership.

Huan said he was not given a chance to defend himself as he was not asked to attend the party’s central working committee (CWC) meeting on Friday night.

“I was only informed about my suspension via a letter from party secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow (yesterday morning).

“Usually when the party decides on a suspension, the person involved is allowed to defend herself or himself but I was not asked to be present and neither did anyone call me,” he said.

“I don’t even know what transpired at the meeting, or whether the allegations made against me had any basis.”

Asked about his next course of action, Huan said he needed a few days to make a decision as his supporters were angry.

“Three years is a long period. This means my political career is finished.” Huan also claimed that a national Youth leader had, at the meeting, alleged that he had met PKR members recently to negotiate positions.

“Don’t use such lines to finish me off. Don’t stoop so low to play such politics,” he said.

On May 29, Huan had told the media that he would quit the party in three weeks, citing disillusionment with the leadership for refusing to heed the lessons from losing Penang to the DAP in last year’s general election.

The CWC then gave him two weeks to reply to a show-cause letter, dated June 1, demanding an explanation for his outburst.

On June 15, Huan said he would remain in the party and was willing to face the consequences.

Teng in a statement said the action was taken since Huan had openly attacked the party leadership by declaring his resignation and threatening to bring his supporters out of the party.

“All these detrimental remarks in the media were made just because he and some of the grassroots leaders had objected to the appointment of a coordinator in one of the constituencies in the state,” he said.

Teng said the CWC decided to suspend him after having considered his written apology to party president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and the party.

If he is not satisfied, Huan has the right to appeal within 14 days.