By IANS
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian politician Chua Soi Lek, who resigned as health minister and lawmaker after being caught in a sex romp on video, has blamed “certain partymen” of his Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) for the scandal but has refused to elaborate further.
Chua, who resigned Wednesday, has acknowledged the woman in the DVDs as “a personal friend”. Though media reports Thursday said she is a florist, details about her have not so far become public.
The scandal has hit the MCA – which represents sections of the ethnic Chinese who comprise 33 percent of Malaysia’s 27 million people – in a big way and has led to infighting. A senior politician, Chua was seen as a challenge to the party leadership in Johor province.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi warned members of Barisan Nasional, the ruling coalition, to guard their probity as the public had “high expectations” of its leaders.
“The public not only wants us to work hard and perform our duties, but also takes into account things from a moral standpoint,” he was quoted as saying in The New Straits Times.
He had a word of praise for Chua for “acting responsibly and appropriately”. Chua, he said, had resigned without being told, on receiving a feedback after two DVDs that caught him in a sex romp at a hotel were circulated clandestinely.
“I thank him for taking into account the negative impact that could have befallen the government and his party. His resignation was appropriate, he has taken responsibility for what has happened,” Badawi said.
The prime minister said a by-election was not needed since the present parliament had completed over three years of its five-year tenure.
Another MCA lawmaker might become the new health minister. Badawi said he would discuss the matter with the MCA leadership.
Chua resigned saying he did not want to be “a burden”.
Police have received no complaint so far, but have launched an investigation on the production and circulation of the tapes.