I refer to the Malaysiakini report Gerakan wants warring factions to be ‘satu hati’ .

The setting up of the four-man committee comprising Mah Siew Keong, Lim Si Pin, Kohilan and Gooi Hoe Hin is not a very wise move.

Everyone in Penang knows that Teng Cang Kim was supported by Keng Yaik in the 2008 party elections to get rid of Chia Kwang Chye because Chia was getting too popular amongst the Gerakan grassroots and was a threat to the old man’s grip on the party.

To achieve his goal, Keng Yaik sent his former political secretary Gooi who himself is from Penang to sabotage Chia during the Penang state party elections in 2008. At that time, Gooi was a senator endorsed by the Penang state government.

As a BN senator he had a peruntukan (financial allocation) to splash and buy support. Gooi is known as a henchman of the all powerful ‘emperor" Lim Keng Yaik. He is tasked bringing down any party leader that does not toe the ‘emperor’s’ line; of course, with the knowledge of the ‘emperor’ who pretends not to know what is going on.

So sending Keng Yaik’s son, Lim Si Pin and his former political secretary, Gooi to promote ‘satu hati’ in Penang is a joke. Except for Mah, the other three members of the committee are not independent and respected party leaders to say the least but are those with vested personal interests.

The root cause of the dissatisfaction in Penang Gerakan today is a direct result of the unfair party election in 2008. Teng won by a small margin because of Keng Yaik’s manipulation. He was not the popular choice.

After so many years as a senior exco member and a state leader, he has not shown his leadership qualities. When left alone without Keng Yaik’s support, he cannot lead the party.

Therefore, the party national leadership’s decision to send the four-man committee can be interpreted as once again sending external help prop up Teng and this is not good for him or the party.

My advice to Gerakan members is to let the EGM go ahead. Let democracy prevail in the party. Teng will probably scrape through the no-confidence vote but he will not get a solid mandate to lead.

For Gerakan to reform and move forward, it is important that party leaders are elected based on meritocracy without interference of the party advisor, Lim Keng Yaik.