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Media Statement          
by Lim Kit Siang  
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(Parliament, Wednesday): When I told Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek at the National Christmas Day Open House in Kota Kinabalu last Saturday, informing him that I had to leave early because my sister, Kit Hwa, 82, had passed away in our mutual hometown Batu Pahat, none of us knew that would be our last encounter as political leaders � or that in the next four days, he would be at the vortex of a political maelstrom ending with the demise of the fastest-rising star in the MCA political firmament.

Chua�s announcement of resignation as Health Minister, Labis Member of Parliament, head of Johore State MCA and Batu Pahat MCA Division 24 hours after admitting that �I�m the man in the sex video� but declaring that he had no intention of quitting his government and party posts has come as no surprise to astute political observers.

This is because after Chua�s Labis statement admitting that he was the man in the sex DVD, he had unleashed political forces in the MCA and UMNO which have made it completely untenable for him to retain his government and party posts.

Many questions surround the sudden demise of Chua Soi Lek as the fastest-rising star in recent MCA history, as he appeared to be quite unstoppable until he captures the top prize in the MCA as its President despite many powerful obstacles in his path.

Two immediate questions about the sudden demise of the MCA comet are whether Chua had been the victim of a double betrayal.

The first betrayal was the very orchestrated and professional manner in the surfacing of the video DVD. Who was behind it? All fingers point to his political enemies from within the MCA.

The second betrayal was whether he had been misled into believing that his admission in his Labis statement would suffice, and he could continue to keep his government and party posts, when in fact; his Labis statement would be the basis to force him to relinquish his government and party posts � as has now happened.

These questions would dominate any debate or discussion of the sudden demise of Chua Soi Lek in the annals of Malaysian politics.
 

(02/01/2008)