Gerakan, a component party in the Barisan Nasional (BN), has come up with a new theme as part of efforts to ensure that it remained politically relevant, said acting secretary-general Mah Siew Keong.    

He said Gerakan was aware of the drubbing that it endured in the last two general elections as a result of its failure to live up to its reputation as the voice of reason within BN.    

"The new Gerakan will be more assertive in advocating its ideology, will not hestitate to hold its friends and foes accountable while at the same time, widen its membership base and ensure it attracted the best talent to be part of the party's struggle," he said in a statement issued in KL today.    

Therefore, he said the party leadership had endorsed "a new way, a new hope and a new Gerakan" as its theme for this year's National Delegates Conference (NDC) which also included election of its party leadership on Oct 26 and 27.    

"The nomination for the main body will fall on Oct 19, while the election for the main body will be held on Oct 26, the first day of the NDC," he said, adding that about 2,000 delegates nationwide would attend the meeting and election of the party leadership which would hold the post for the next three years.    

He also said the nomination for Youth and Wanita elections would be held on  Oct 18, while the election for the leadership of both wings would be held on Oct 25.    

Prime Minister and BN chairman Najib Razak is scheduled to officiate the NDC on Oct 26.    

- Bernama