Media statement by Betty Chew Gek Cheng in Penang on Saturday, 7^th July 2012:

Chua Soi Lek should stop such cruel lies on an innocent woman and husband

I am very disappointed that MCA President Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek for dismissing the sensational lies raised by MCA against my husband as my husband's problems. Clearly Chua condones the conspiracy by BN using the Melaka State Assembly as platform by Melaka MCA Chairman Gan Tian Loo, to spread lies that my husband had a secret relationship with a former staff and that I had assaulted her and my husband.

How can this be my husband's problem when these were lies spread by MCA? I My husband did not have an affair with his former staff and I had repeatedly said I had never argued with her or assaulted her or anyone for that matter.

As a person who knew the pain his family and wife went through after Chua's video sex tap with another woman was exposed, I would have thought that Chua would not use the same tactics on his opponents, especially when they are lies. Why is it that MCA up to now can not show proof that I had hit anyone? Chua should either state these allegations or direct Gan to repeat his allegations outside the Dewan Undangan Negeri Melaka.

My colleagues and I have challenged Datuk Gan many times when we were inside and outside dewan in Melaka to repeat those lies he spread and caused to publish. But he has no guts to repeat it outside the dewan because he knows the lies are not true and if he repeats outside, my husband and I will sue him in court. Gan is a coward hiding behind dewan immunity, knowing what he says in dewan cannot be sued by my husband and me. I can only sue Gan if he says it outside the Dewan. Gan is trying to run away from responsibility after defaming me and my husband. Is this MCA style of politicking?

I have already warned Gan in the dewan that if he has no guts to repeat outside what he said in the dewan, he will forever be seen as "the rat running across the street" by the community. Chua should know the impact this will have on our children, more so when they are lies. Instead of seeking truth from facts and asking Gan to repeat outside, Chua has chosen to attack my husband.

Chua should know why my husband is so angry with Chua for such remarks because (1) my husband has no wrong to admit; (2) he fears that our children and me will be hurt by these lies. We don't want our children to go to school and be subjected to the trauma repeatedly.

Last time there were lies spread about one of my sons' sexual misconduct and now about my husband. Why must MCA stooped so low to use sex issue to tarnish my husband just because they themselves have such problem - they think others have too? My husband is right, he is no Chua Soi Lek.

Further Chua has still not apologized for his previous remarks against me that I had not serviced my constituents and should instead service my husband. A terrible statement and it made me wonder how could a MCA President utter such demeaning remarks against a woman leader without again checking the facts.

Chua Soi Lek...don't be so cruel. You should not condone nor allow your party to spread and publish lies about my husband having a secret relationship with a former staff and that I assaulted her -- to destroy my family's reputation and affect my children. You have family too. I am sure your family must have gone through hard times when you admitted publicly about your affair and resigned as minister. Don't make other family to go thru the same way and more so when there is no truth to the lies spread.

As a woman, I wish to urge Chua Soi Lek's wife to stop such cruelty from her husband. She may have forgiven her husband's previous cruelty towards her, but she should advise her husband that all Malaysian women would never forgive Chua for allowing MCA to continue such cruel lies on an innocent woman and her family.

* Betty Chew Gek Cheng, SA for Kota Laksamana & wife of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng