Amid dissenting voices against Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon within his own ranks, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said it was up to Koh to decide on the party's fate.

Najib was responding to calls by Gerakan Wanita chief Tan Lian Hoe yesterday for Koh to step down.

" najib abdul razak I leave it in his good hands. He knows what is needed to be done."

"Whatever it is, I have a good working relationship with Koh," he said at a press conference after officiating the 40th Gerakan national delegates conference (NDC) at the party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

Najib's presence at the press conference came as a surprise, as the premier had in the past immediately departed after officiating such occasions, including the recently-concluded MCA general assembly earlier this month.

Speaking shortly after the premier's comments, Koh shot down claims that the premier appeared not to openly back him.

"No, I don't know. By saying that he has a good working relationship with me, he leaves it in my good hands, what else can you interpret?

"Even if you read in between the lines, what other conclusion people can draw?"

Koh's winnability

Koh also responded to the prime minister’s call for Gerakan not only to have an alternative vision for Penang but also an alternative line-up.

koh tsu koon "You can ask any party in any states. No one has a complete line up (yet). We will let you know in due course."

He also brushed aside calls by party delegates yesterday for him to contest in Penang.

"I don't want to respond to every delegate. Then it will not be fair to other delegates who have a different opinion."

Asked if he is a ‘winnable candidate’, Koh replied: "We will assess that and we will continue to assess it".