Besieged Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon this evening swatted questions from reporters on the crisis brewing in the party in Penang, where the party t koh tsu koon 110310 press conference ook form in 1969 and went on to join the ruling coalition and become a national party.

"I have issued a press statement on this... everything is in the statement and I don't intend to add to it," said an grim-faced Koh ( right ).

Refusing to take questions, the former Penang chief minister simply referred to his statement earlier in the day, in which he termed the resignation of his mentor and former party president Dr Lim Keng Yaik as the result of "a misunderstanding".

He said this to the reporters who surrounded him as he stepped out of a conference room in Kuala Lumpur hotel after participating in a forum organised by government investment arm Khazanah Bhd.

Flanked by two bodyguards and his press secretary, Koh curtly made the statement even before the assembled reporters, who made a beeline for him at the front door of the hall, could even open their mouths.

'These matters will be addressed later'

Koh brushed off all questions from the media and was whisked away by his entourage, leaving the reporters with a curt response: "These matters will be addressed later."

Journalists have been staking out the forum and the Raya open house hosted by Khazanah at the swank Kuala Lumpur hotel since 4pm today despite being denied entrance to the functions, which were declared "closed-door" events.

Reporters were told to stay away until Koh had left.

However, the reporters, who have been pursuing Koh for his comments and reaction to the Gerakan crisis in Penang and the sudden resignation of Lim as party adviser, stayed on to greet him outside the main door.

Lim put Koh on the spot when he called the current Gerakan president an "ostrich" and criticised his handling of the Gerakan crisis in Penang, where an EGM is to be held on Sunday to issue a vote of no-confidence against state party chief Dr Teng Hock Nan.