Elizabeth Wong offers to quit her posts ‘to protect party’

Reports by FLORENCE A. SAMY, WANI MUTHIAH, CHRISTINA TAN, ELAN PERUMAL, LEE YUK PENG, SIM LEOI LEOI, STEVEN DANIEL, MARTIN CARVALHO, WONG WEI HWANG and M. SHAMINEE
PETALING JAYA: Embattled Eliza­beth Wong has offered to resign as Bukit Lanjan assemblyman and Selangor executive council member.

At an emotionally-charged press conference where she broke down while speaking, Wong said the option was in the best interests of her party.
However, the 39-year-old activist said she had done nothing wrong.
“I wish to state that I am not ashamed of my sexuality as a woman and as a single person.

“I have broken no law. I stand by the fundamental principle in a democracy that everyone has a right to privacy,” she said at the PKR headquarters here yesterday.

Remaining calm at first, Wong, who is Selangor Tourism, Consumer Affairs and Environment Committee chairman, could not hold back her tears as she spoke to a room packed with reporters and supporters.

Wong, who is also the PKR Wanita information chief, said she tendered her resignation to Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Khalid Ibrahim yesterday morning.

Khalid later issued a statement saying he had asked her to go on leave instead.

Wong said she decided to resign as she believed the attacks would continue with greater intensity.
She said “PKR’s rivals” would continue to “manipulate the situation”.

“Although the smear campaign directed towards me has caused me a lot of anguish, I am aware that the real objective is to discredit PKR,” she said.

Wong said the events of the past two days had shown an “insidious and underhanded attempt by certain quarters to smear my reputation”.

“My personal life and privacy have been violated. People have conspired to undermine my credibility as Selangor state exco member and Keadilan leader,” she said yesterday.

In between sobs, Wong said she had received overwhelming support from her family, constituents, Paka­tan Rakyat colleagues, friends and the public but offered to resign in the interest of her party.

“I am very grateful to those who have placed their trust in me and my party and I thank them for the opportunity to serve,” she said before removing her glasses and wiping away tears that kept streaming down her cheeks.

Wong expressed her “eternal gratitude” to all, including the Mentri Besar, and apologised if she had offended or let anyone down.

She said she would discuss with Khalid on arranging for a proper handover of her responsibilities.

Also present at the press conference were Selangor executive council members, PKR vice-president Sivarasa Rasiah, leaders of the PKR and PAS women’s wings Zuraidah Kamaruddin and Nuridah Salleh, respectively, and human rights activist Irene Fernandez.

Several supporters wept during the press conference.

When Wong announced her decision to quit, some supporters who had came with banners and flowers instantly shouted: “No! No! You are the victim. Don’t resign!”

Several supporters hugged her after the press conference.