Inanam rep Roland Chia tweets "resignation"

KOTA KINABALU - A Facebook and Twitter posting by Inanam assemblyman Dr Roland Chia of his intention to quit as the representative is causing a stir among political circles here.

In the posts, Dr Chia said he would be stepping down as assemblyman due to health reasons.

The announcement caught his fellow PKR colleagues by surprise who said they were unaware of his decision.

Sabah PKR chief Datuk Lajim Ukin said he had been unable to contact Dr Chia since being made aware of his (Chia’s) Facebook and Twitter postings.

Lajim said he had spoken to the Inanam PKR deputy division chief who told him that Dr Chia had not informed them of his intention to step down.

“At this time, I cannot rule out the possibility of Chia’s Facebook and Twitter accounts being hacked,” he added.

Party vice-president Derrel Leiking, the Penampang MP, when contacted said he was also unaware of Chia’s intention to resign as assemblyman.

Dr Chia, a dental surgeon by profession, won the Inanam seat for the first time in the May 5 general election last year with a 3,202 vote majority in a three-way fight.

He secured 8,926 ballots while Barisan Nasional’s Joseph Paulus Lantip of Parti Bersatu Sabah obtained 5,724 votes and Eric Majimbun of the Sabah Progressive Party received 5,003 votes.