Thursday 3 January 2008

Sex scandal and politics

Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek's case was not the first sex scandal that was exposed to public involving politicians in Malaysia. In Sabah, too, in the 1980s similar exposure was made that involved an Assistant Minister.

While Dr Chua's scandal was exposed in a video recording, this Assistant Minister was accused by a woman of having sexs with a promise to marry her. Yesterday Dr Chua resigned as Health Minister and MP as well as all other party's posts. In the Sabah's case, the man stay put a politician.

The woman went to the Syariah Court accusing that Assistant Minister had sexs with her in a cheap hotel in Kota Kinabalu. It was the story and talks of the people for several months.

At first when the story went into print in the local and national newspapers, there was no name mentioned which resulted into wild speculation among the Government of the day's male Assistant Ministers.

Later the man was named and the case went into trial in open court of which I covered for the New Straits Times. There was a lot of drama in the hearing, one of which, the accused Assistant Minister in the dock greeting the girl at the other box `Hello Sayang'.

The Assistant Minister denied the charges (not once but several times alleged by the girl)saying that he was visiting his constituency at the time, day and year as framed in the charges against him. He told the court that he could bring the villagers as his witnesses.

But he was convicted and of course he filed an appeal. At the appeal stage, he was cleared, not because of his alibi but the court ruled and held that there was no witness when he and the girl were having sex.

Nevertheless, he quit as Assistant Minister but stayed on as an Assemblyman. He went on to retain his seat and was made a full minister.

The rest is history.

My Say:

I purposely did not mention any names as the man had since passed away and the woman happily married.

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