Gerakan president Dr Lim Keng Yaik and his deputy Kerk Choo Ting declared today that they would heed the advice of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and stop their public 'war of words'.

A gloomy-looking Lim told a press conference that he was sad and regretted that the image of the 37-year-old party had been tarnished over the party election.

"It took me 25 years (his tenure) to build up the image of the party but it just took one week to shatter it," he told reporters at the Gerakan headquarters in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

The Gerakan chief however appeared to be defensive, saying that he had wanted to prevent the unpleasant campaigning from taking place but his challenger (Kerk) 'attacked me first".

"It all started before the nomination with the poison-pen letter and after nomination day, they started to label me 'dictator, Lim's dynasty, Mao Zedong' and nepotism," he said.

Asked why he did not use his power to stop the mudslinging, he replied: "You want me to be branded a dictator further? What power do I have? How can I stop people from criticising me?"

In an apparent reference to Kerk and his supporters, Lim said his challenger was lacking in discipline and has thrown caution to the wind.

Lim said he met with Gerakan state chiefs and told them to stay focused and move on with the party programmes no matter what the election results may be.

Asked whether previous elections were worse than what he is facing today, Lim said it is not as bad as what Gerakan went through in the 1984 and 1987 elections.

"It is hot, but no so hot", added, the veteran politician who had been challenged three times since he won the party presidency in 1980.

Lim also said although the party's image has been damaged, it is however not destroyed.

Party interest

Meanwhile, officiating at the Youth and Wanita conferences, Kerk gave his assurance to the premier that the campaigning will be peaceful and healthy until the election is over.

"Party interest is more important than personal interest," he told the delegates.

The deputy president told a press conference later that the party election is just a democratic process and leaders must control themselves and not indulge in personal attacks against their opponents.

"We have to unite after the elections. It does not matter whether we are from the winning or losing side or belong to the minority or majority groups. It is an advice given to me and I fully endorse accept it," he said.

In a similar defensive stand, Kerk said, "I was just trying to clean up some of the dirt that was thrown on me... didn't punch anybody".

Street-fighter Keng Yaik vs 'polished' Kerk