Gerakan wants warring factions to be 'satu hati'

The various factions in Penang Gerakan should sit down and work out an amicable solution, said party vice-president Mah Siew Keong today.

He said the Gerakan leadership hoped the various groups could sort out their differences before the need for the state Gerakan to send out the notice next Monday for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM).

"They must sort out their differences as the party is facing a lot of challenges. If they can work out a solution between now and Sept 27, then there is no need for an EGM."

Mah (left ) said this when asked to comment on a move by a group of grassroots members who have identified themselves as ‘The Voices of the Grassroots’ to call for an EGM on Oct 10 to remove elected state chairperson Dr Teng Hock Nam.

Gerakan's top leadership had set up a four-member negotiation team headed by Mah to meet the warring factions in Penang Gerakan to try find a solution before the proposed EGM.

The other members in the team are party vice-president A Kohilan Pillay, Youth chief Lim Si Pin and central committee member Gooi Hoe Hin. They are scheduled to begin their task this Wednesday.

 

Mah said party members in Penang should not split themselves further, as it would allow some quarters outside the party to take advantage of the situation.

Amicable solution wanted

"There had been a call for Gerakan to surrender all its seats in Penang, apart from the call for the party to surrender the state BN chairpersonship.

"Gerakan is still the best party to lead in the state. However, if we are seen fighting among ourselves, we will give more reason for others to ask us to surrender our seats and posts. As stated by the Gerakan slogan, we should be satu hati ," he said.

 

However, representatives from the group when contacted today said they were still determined to proceed with the Oct 10 EGM to oust Teng ( right ) despite efforts from the top leadership to seek an amicable solution.

 

Meanwhile, former Gerakan vice-president Huan Cheng Guan has strongly denied that he was the person behind certain groups in the campaign to oust Dr Teng through an EGM.

"I wish to stress that there was no way I could meddle in Gerakan affairs or give my support to the parties concerned as I am neither a Gerakan delegate nor member," said Huan, who quit the party last year after being slapped with a three-year suspension for criticising the state leadership.

 

– Bernama