2 Sept, 2008
KUALA LUMPUR: Despite pressure from the grassroots for Gerakan to join Pakatan Rakyat, the party will soldier on and act as the conscience of Barisan Nasional for now, the party's secretary-general, Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye, said yesterday.
Among the BN component parties, Gerakan was the biggest victim of the general election.
The party lost eight of its 10 parliamentary seats, its one and only cabinet post and control of Penang, which had been its stronghold for the last 39 years.
What is more, its former deputy secretary-general Datuk Lee Kah Choon, former party stalwart Datuk Dr Toh Kin Woon and former Federal Territory chief Datuk Dr Tan Kee Kwong have gone over to the opposition.
Lee resigned from all party posts in April after accepting DAP's offer of a post at the Penang Development Corporation and as director of investPenang.
Dr Toh resigned on Aug 18 after his endorsement of opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the Permatang Pauh by-election drew flak from the party leadership.
Dr Tan was suspended when he accepted an offer from the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat government to head a task force on land matters.
National vice-chairman and Perak Gerakan chief Datuk Chan Ko Youn recently said 80 per cent of the delegates in the state wanted the party to quit BN.
Wanita Gerakan chief Datuk Tan Lian Hoe has also called on the party to reconsider its position in the coalition.
At its recent annual meeting, Kedah Gerakan Youth also called on the party to consider leaving BN if Umno continued to harp on racial supremacy.
"I know critics, political analysts and even the media all think the solution for Gerakan's woes is to quit BN but that is not the point," Chia said.
He said what the party needed to do was to return to its original vision of being a party that represented the voice and conscience of the Malaysian public and to champion the cause of Bangsa Malaysia.
"Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat are both just political platforms.
"Gerakan's concern now is not which platform it needs to be on, but rather are we functioning according to our original purpose."
He said Gerakan was founded to fight for a fair and equal Malaysian society in a non-racial manner; speak and stand up for what was right, no matter whether it was against the government or the opposition.
He added that unless the party went back to basics it would be useless to both Barisan and Pakatan.
"For now, the plan is not to switch political platforms.
"The party must instead focus on finding its courage and voice again.
"We must also honour the cries of the people and our grassroots.
"So far, Gerakan Perak and Kedah have made themselves clear but we still have the national delegates conference in October.
"If more state chiefs and delegates come to the same conclusion, then our next step will be very natural," Chia said ominously.
But Chia was also quick to point out that this did not necessarily mean Gerakan would be joining Pakatan Rakyat.
"Why is it either Barisan or Pakatan? Why not a third alternative?
"Anyway, things will be quite clear after October," he added.
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