| Submit your comments on this article |
| Southeast Asia |
| Chua defends appointment |
| 2010-06-04 |
| [Straits Times] MALAYSIAN Chinese Association (MCA) president Chua Soi Lek yesterday said he recommended his son for a deputy minister's post because there were too few MPs in the party. He denied that it was nepotism, or that he had struck a deal with Prime Minister Najib Razak to appoint his son in exchange for him not seeking a Cabinet post. As MCA president, Datuk Seri Chua should by convention hold a senior Cabinet post, but he is dogged by a scandal after having been filmed having sex with an unknown woman. The DVD, which was circulated in early 2008, forced him to relinquish his post as Health Minister at that time. He did not contest the general election held two months later. His son Chua Tee Yong stood in his place, and won. On Tuesday, the younger Chua, 33, was made Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries. The MCA president said the names of his son and another MP were submitted as they were the only two MCA parliamentarians without a government post. Datuk Seri Najib picked his son, he said. 'That is your answer,' he told reporters yesterday when asked. |
| Posted by:Fred |