Politics 101 Malaysia

“Perhaps, power had gone to our heads after leading Penang for 39 years. We have not done enough in our own approach and attitude,” said acting party president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.

Speaking to the press after a closed-door meeting with 1,500 central delegates, Koh was merciless in analysing Gerakan’s defeat in Penang, and its similarly disastrous performance nationwide where it won only two parliamentary and four state seats.

Koh blamed the dismal performance on its leaders losing touch with the grassroots as well as “arrogance of power” in Barisan Nasional.

He said due to their busy schedule as government officials, the needs of the rakyat were neglected. ”Continued”

by Ng Ling Fong, malaysiakini, Feb 2.

Federal Territory Gerakan assistant secretary K K Supramaniam has hit out at the DAP for "unethically" publicising an internal secular, which he penned, calling for disciplinary action against party deputy youth chief Lim Si Pin and party advisor Dr Lim Keng Yaik.

Contacted by Malaysiakini yesterday, Supramaniam denied that he any involvement in the leaking of the letter and described DAP’s action as an embarrassment.

"This is meant for internal circulation only. Their actions are an embarrassment to me," said Supramaniam, adding that he is considering suing the DAP over the matter.

Asked about the contents of the letter, Supramaniam said that it was only supposed to be circulated among party office bearers, particularly the party’s powerful decision making body - the central working committee.

Analysis by Ng Kee Seng, sun2surf, Jan 17.

In a way, Gerakan acting president and Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon is unexpectedly at a political crossroad.

And the man who has put him in a dilemma is no other than party adviser Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik, who publicly said Koh should stay in Penang and not make a move to the federal government just yet.

Party insiders say Koh’s supporters, especially those in Penang, will be closely watching whether their man will make his own decision or remain “in the shadow of Lim”.

This explains Koh’s swift response: “I will only decide when the time is right. I thank Lim for his confidence in me.”

Koh’s supporters say Lim should not have gone public. Koh should have been allowed to make his own decision based on consensus among Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders, and the information he is privy to. ”Continued”

by Regina William, sun2surf, Jan 7.

Gerakan leaders are refusing to be drawn into talk of a clash of titans in Penang for the upcoming general election while DAP leaders are refuting such a scenario, saying it did not fit the big picture.

Gerakan secretary-general Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye declined to “speculate on a speculation” when asked to comment on theSun’s page one report today that a clash between Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng may take place for the parliamentary seat of Jelutong.

“I don’t want to comment on a speculation, that is all it is, and there is nothing to say right now,” Chia said in a telephone interview. ”Continued”

Lim Kim Yaik says there are reports that Indonesian maids and foreign workers in the country were mistreated when they were detained by the police.

He hoped the police force would be more humane when dealing with such workers.

Gerakan, he said, wants the government to set up the proposed Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) as soon as possible in order to improve the the credibility of the police force. ”Continued”

Gerakan Perlu Bersikap Terbuka Dan Universal

by Syaharudin Shah Hj. Mohd Noor

Jangan mengejutkan harimau yang sedang tidur . Mungkin inilah ungkapan yang sesuai untuk menggambarkan kata-kata pemimpin-pemimpin Barisan Nasional (BN) yang ditujukan khas untuk Timbalan Presiden Gerakan, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon yang bertegas membangkitkan isu perlaksanaan dasar Sains dan Matematik dalam bahasa Inggeris.

Kenyataan pemimpin-pemimpin BN amat besar ertinya bagi Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang serta Parti Gerakan itu yang terlalu alpa dan leka terhadap semangat kerjasama dan setia kawan di dalam parti. Malah cuba menegakkan ‘benang yang basah’ serta berpendirian mengundur dalam isu yang telah dipersetujui bersama dan telah dilaksanakan di kebanyakkan sekolah di seluruh Malaysia. ”Continued”

Gerakan has called on the government to allow primary school pupils to learn science and mathematics in their mother tongue instead of English under the present policy adopted in 2003.

Deputy president Dr Koh Tsu Koon said teaching the two critical subjects in the respective mother tongue would make it easier for pupils from all communities to grasp the subjects better.

“We must review the impact of science and mathematics taught in English in all schools — national, Chinese and Tamil. Gerakan would like to urge an objective and comprehensive review of the impact of science and mathematics taught in English in primary schools,” he told reporters prior to a dialogue between the party and Hua Zhong, the Federation of Chinese Associations, yesterday. ”Continued”

Various versions of cai tan or ‘menu’ (preferred candidates list) are circulating at the Gerakan General Assembly and they have arrested the interests of many delegates and observers.

Cai tan politics is common among Chinese-based parties.

The cai tan that’s tacitly endorsed by the incumbent president lists Vijayaratnam, Teng Hock Nan and Chang Ko Youn as the preferred vice-presidents.

The chosen ones for the central committee are Lee Kah Choon, Lim Thuang Seng, Chok Kon Phin, Chua Chong An, Liew Yew Aw, Khoo Soo Chai, Huan Cheng Guan, Chia Kwang Chye, Lau Yeng Peng, Cheong Chin Leong and Kohillay Pillay and Lim Kheng Guan.

Twenty nine hopefuls are vying for the 12 central committee member posts.

It was jus two days ago, when commenting on Kerk Choo Ting’s challenge for the Gerakan presidency that I said he’s “a leader who survives on past glories with an inability to separate old politics from realpolitik. He lives in his own little dream world where Chinese educationists rule the universe. In short, he’s a one-issue politician.”

Today, in a malaysiakini report by Yong Kai Ping and Kuek Ser Kuang Keng, it says “Chinese educationists are now embroiled in this week’s Gerakan election with one group urging presidential challenger Kerk Choo Ting not to play the ‘Chinese Education’ card.”

Gerakan leaders with links to the Chinese education movement Dong Jiao Zong criticised him for manipulating the ‘Chinese’ tag to gain support.

These leaders include Dr Koh Tsu Koon, Dr Toh Kin Woon, Lum Weng Keong, Chua Chong An, Yoon Suan and Wu Guo Fang.

The main issue, they said, was leadership succession and that it was not a fight among Chinese educationists in the party.

Kerk, though, has come up with a gem in his manifesto: “It is our opinion our party needs a leadership change in 2005 and not later.”

His position is that if KY steps down in 2007, the 2008 general elections will be fought at a time when Gerakan’s new leadership hasn’t even time to warm the seats yet. Pretty good point, I’d say.

Kerk today assured party members nobody will be axed from the party if he is elected president.

Meanwhile, this evening Bernama has come out with a good piece, “Lim vs Kerk - A Long Delayed Battle“.