“Old and ageing” leaders within Gerakan are urged to take a step back and not feature themselves so prominently in the coming 13th general election.

NONE Gerakkanlah Gerakan (gG), a reform movement within the party, said it would be better for top leaders who have served umpteen years to become good advisers to the party.

“After he left, former Gerakan president Lim Chong Eu was a good adviser. We hope current president Koh Tsu Koon and state chief Dr Teng Hock Nan will do the same,” said gG spokesperson Yeap Ban Choon.

“We hope these leaders will heed the advice by the party members and do not play a Mahathir (Mohamad) on us,” he added.

gerakan egm 091010 yeap ban choon Yeap ( left ) also hinted that it is best that during the election campaign, the new state BN chief Teng Chang Yeow is not seen too much with Koh and Dr Teng, who also led the coalition’s working committee until Chang Yeow took over in April.

He added that Gerakan members should try to replace the dying breed of leaders and those who have served many terms, and not be afraid to offend people by choosing new ones, for the sake of the party’s survival.

“Give new blood a chance. They should elect winnable candidates without fear or favour,” said Yeap,  a participant at the recent Bersih 3.0 rally in Kuala Lumpur.

“For example, we are happy to see Prime Minister Najib Razak appoint a fighter to lead Penang BN into the mother of all elections,” he added.

‘Don’t return to Mahathir era’

To revitalise the party further, Yeap urged its leaders to hold a big gathering to resurrect the spirit of 1969, when Gerakan was in top form, and had won most of the seats in the Penang legislative assembly.

Earlier, a reference was made about the former prime minister, who quit after 22 years of service but continues to be outspoken on current affairs, at times offending others with snide remarks.

Yeap said Penangites want to see a vibrant Penang which can be achieved with healthy democracy and do not want an “autocratic and dictatorial” government which will end up like the Mahathir era.

“That was a time when the people were afraid to voice their opionions,” he added, referring to the various laws which were obstacles to freedom of speech or assembly.

Yeap also expressed hope that in the next party election, Gerakan’s leadership line-up would be more multiracial, and that “we are able to elect people with more of a Malaysian mindset”.

“Of course we fight for Malaysians, but in reality, there are more Chinese in Gerakan. If we love the party, we need to change the way we think, and do not repeat things of the past,” he said.

  Must standing on own feet 

“For example, we should not do too much welfare or service-oriented activities. Some duties are for councillors, the third level of government, who can do this job better,” he added.

“Instead of just giving handouts or money, teach them skills to earn a living. For example, teach people ways to cook and market their food, so they can set up their own catering businesses,” he proposed.

On the performance of BN coordinators in Pakatan Rakyat constituencies, Yeap said they go to the ground and understand the hearts of the rakyat.

These coordinators, he added, do not automatically become candidates but they have a role to play in bringing the BN’s message to the people.