Chua Jui Meng to join PKR

(Malaysian Mirror) - A group of former senior MCA leaders from Johore including a former minister will soon join the opposition PKR.

Reliable sources connected to former health minister and defeated MCA presidential candidate Chua Jui Meng confirmed the move will involve former Senator David Yeoh and several other former senators from the party.

They are expected to announce their decision to leave the party and apply to join PKR on July 18 (Saturday) in Kuala Lumpur.

Many are Anwar's old friends

The sources said the group met Anwar Ibrahim's aides to convey their wish to support PKR as they have lost confidence in the Barisan Nasional.

The sources did not say whether they have already met the PKR advisor and parliamentary opposition leader. But Anwar is said to have accepted their decision and open the PKR's door to the former MCA leaders, many who are his old friends.

“Anwar is more than happy to welcome his old friends into PKR. All of them will have a role to play in the party,” a PKR leader in Kuala Lumpur said.

However, a check with a senior party leader in the PKR headquarters in Petaling Jaya drew a blank.

“I have no idea about this. Maybe it is true, maybe it isn’t”, was all he would say when reached on the phone.

Apparently, party staff have been asked to keep such matters under wraps but that is not going to prevent a leakage.

PKR sources in Sarawak, however, are more open about unhappy BN ‘big guns’ joining their party.

Major morale booster

“Chua Jui Meng’s entry into PKR will be a major morale booster for PKR and Pakatan Rakyat. Wait for Sunday. Chua and his group will join PKR,” one state PKR leader said confidently.

Anwar is expected to be present at the press conference this weekend where the formal announcement on their decision to leave MCA and join PKR will be made.

Chua is following the footsteps of other Chinese politicians in MCA and Gerakan who had joined PKR since the party’s good showing in the 2008 general election. MCA’s former deputy Wanita leader Dr Tan Yew Kew (left) and former Gerakan veep Dr Tan Tee Kwong (right) are now in the PKR fold. Both are considered relatively ‘big guns’ in the BN as they had previously served in the Cabinet.

Malaysian Mirror understands the Chinese group decided to join PKR because of its multi-racial character and policies, although the party is led by a Malay.