Rafizi says Chia still PKR rep but in grave health

Sabah PKR's Inanam state assemblyman Dr Roland Chia is still assemblyman but has informed the party of his desire to relinquish the post due to his medical condition.

PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli said the first term assemblyman emailed the party leaders informing them that it would not be fair for him to continue serving the people due to his health.

"We have told him we will discuss this further after his return from aboard. As for now, he is still the assemblyman," the PKR secretary-general told The Malaysian Insider.

Dr Chia, dropped a bombshell yesterday when he posted his resignation on his Facebook and Twitter accounts, citing health reasons.

The dental surgeon is currently overseas and will only be back by the end of the month.

Rafizi said the party was still in the dark over Dr Chia's condition, but was told he had lost weight and looked frail.

Dr Chia, the Sabah PKR vice-chairman and a member of the party's supreme council, won the Inanam seat in the 2013 general election in a three-way contest, winning 8,926 votes against Datuk Eric Majimbun of SAPP (5,003 votes) and Joseph Lantip of BN-PBS (5,724 votes).

Yesterday, Bernama quoted Sabah PKR Leadership Council chairman Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin as denying that Dr Chia had resigned from his state seat.

"As of now, it is just a rumour. I checked with the Sabah legislative assembly speaker (Datuk Seri Salleh Tun Said) and was informed that there has been no resignation of any assemblyman," he said.

Lajim had said he and Dr Chia had attended a meeting together last week, and the assemblyman had not said anything about stepping down. – December 18, 2014.