“I didn’t demand that the court release an order for a by-election to be held because it was more important to determine whether my status was valid or not.

“The by-election depends on the situation and need. I leave it to my party (whether to hold a by-election or not). My purpose in doing this was to demand justice, not just for myself,” he told FMT when contacted today.

Yesterday, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that Tian Chua had been qualified to contest the 14th general election, more than a year after he was barred from defending his Batu parliamentary seat.

He had been disqualified from contesting due to a RM2,000 court fine for insulting a policeman.

However, judge Mariana Yahya ruled that a candidate can only lose his or her qualification if charged RM2,001 and above.

The Batu parliamentary seat was won by law student P Prabakaran, who stood as an independent candidate but joined PKR days after winning the seat. His candidacy was endorsed by Pakatan Harapan (PH) in Tian Chua’s absence.

Tian Chua said his case could serve as a guide and warning to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

“I want to show that institutions like the Election Commission should not be used as a political tool and must follow the law,” he said.

Although he is no longer a representative of the people, he added, he had never stopped serving them.

“If I can play a role as an MP, then great. If I have the chance, I will take the chance, but whatever it is, I will still fulfil my responsibility to strengthen the PH government.

“Although I’m no longer an MP, I am a senior leader in the party. But there’s no difference. Whether I’m an MP or not, I still give my service to the people of Batu,” he said.