In line with its consensus-based culture, Gerakan has managed to persuade most of the challengers for party posts to withdraw from contesting. A handful, however, will put up a fight at the triennial polls this week.

The Gerakan Pemuda and Wanita elections will be held on Friday, followed by the party's 31st national delegates conference and the central body polls on Saturday.

The spotlight is on party veteran Siew Kok Kan, 60, who announced last week that he would vie against incumbent Kerk Choo Ting for the deputy presidency.

Wanita deputy chairperson Rhina Bhar will challenge Kee Phaik Cheen, the chief of 17 years; while Kek Guan Chuan will take on Mah Siew Keong to head the Youth wing.

However, 10 of the 28 candidates in the running for the 18 central committee posts are expected to opt out soon. In the Youth central committee, three candidates have withdrawn, enabling the remaining 12 to win unopposed.

Contenders for the 12 posts in the Gerakan Wanita central committee are down to 15 from the original 19.

Reason for contesting

Party president Dr Lim Keng Yaik (photo) has stepped in to try and prevent a clash for the No 2 post. Yesterday, he met Siew to talk him out of contesting.

However, Siew, came out of the meeting with his mind unchanged. He has been active in politics for 32 years and is now Kuala Sepetang state assembly representative in Perak and a Gerakan central committee member.

"We had a good meeting. I told the president that my reason for contesting is not because of any personal feud (with Kerk). I am doing this for the interest and good of the party," Siew said in a telephone interview.

Last week, Kerk also the Perak Gerakan chairperson announced the new state liaison committee line-up a day after Siew filed the nomination papers. It did not include Siew, who had been the vice-chairperson since 1996.

Following this, Siew said he would immediately step down as deputy president, should he win the post, so that the party central committee could appoint a successor.

Grassroots needs

Asked to elaborate today, Siew said it was not his intention to climb the party ladder or to settle old scores with Kerk.

He explained that he was merely responding to the wishes of the grassroots in taking the first step to replace Kerk with a "more capable leader".

"I expected my name to dropped from the state liaison committee list. It is Kerk's right to appoint the members, although one would have expected him to do it more objectively. But my decision to challenge him has nothing to do with the list," Siew said.

"The community and party members are not happy with the way he handles issues and party affairs. He has created disquiet in many party branches and divisions. We want the top leadership to recognise and seriously consider our voice."

Negotiations underway

Interestingly, Chinese newspapers today quoted Lim as advising Kerk to better understand grassroots feelings and grouses. Responding, Kerk said he understood their feelings completely.

Kerk also said negotiations were in progress to persuade Siew not to contest the deputy president's post.

"I am not involved (in the negotiations). If this fails, then we will go to the polls because Gerakan is a democratic party which does not stop anyone from contesting for party posts," he said when contacted.

He believed Siew's decision to challenge him sprang from some "internal problems".

"There are a handful of leaders in the state who are with him. They cannot accept the changes in the line-up as something that we need to go through. This was done based on popular demand from the top and the bottom," he said.

Saying that Siew was "not dropped" as vice-chairperson in the Perak committee, he claimed that the post was temporarily vacant and would be filled after the party elections.

Call to retain team

Kerk said he hoped to be retained as deputy president in line with the party president's appeal last week.

Lim had urged all members to retain the party's top seven himself, Kerk, vice-presidents Dr Koh Tsu Koon, Dr Tan Kee Kwong, and Dr S Vijayaratnam; secretary-general Chia Kwang Chye, and national treasurer Ng Chiang Chin describing them as a "good team".

Lim, 63, has been in power for 22 years. He announced recently that he had no plans to step down in the near future and that he would stand in the next general election.