Just hours before officially announcing his bid for Gerakan's top post, Mah Siew Keong said that he has already been hit by a smear campaign, previously unseen in the party's history.

Mah said delegates in two northern states have received text messages attacking him personally, signaling a likely split in the BN component party, which had suffered huge losses in last two general elections.

"This kind of personal attacks has never happened in my 20 over years in Gerakan," Mah told reporters at the party's headquarters in Cheras.

"I will ask the supervisory committee  to investigate. This kind of culture is not Gerakan culture."

NONECurrently the secretary-general of Gerakan, Mah announced he would contest for the presidency. Tomorrow is the nomination day for the party's central leadership elections.

Mah, who had in a show of unity gathered Gerakan heads and representatives from eight states together at the briefing, said he hoped next week's party election would be run "in a democratic and gentlemanly manner".

Those gathered were leaders from Perak, Kedah, Johor, Selangor, Kelantan, Wilayah Persekutuan, Negeri Sembilan and Sabah and they would discuss how to stop this smear culture in Gerakan, Mah said.

He added that over the past month, he visited all but one or two states, before deciding to bid for the presidency.

"Our enemies are not within the party but outside. We have lost so badly... zero in Penang, zero in many states... so stop fighting internally and see how we can work together," Mah said, looking a little tired.

A new hope, a new Gerakan

During the briefing, he turned back to point out Gerakan's new theme, boldy printed in white against a giant red banner : "A new way, a new hope, a new Gerakan."

"I believe (the smear campaign) are not done by leaders but overzealous followers," Mah added.

Gerakan's presidency was up for grabs after Koh Tsu Koon resigned to take responsibility for Gerakan's poor performance in the 13GE on May 5. The party won only one parliamentary seat. It won two seats in 2008.

Mah also urged the media to stop attacking Koh, as he was on holiday for two weeks.

He also defended himself, saying he was not the crony or puppet of any past Gerakan leaders - Lim Keng Yaik, Koh or Chang - but was merely a loyal party servant.

gerakan party election slogan launch 031013 01Acting president Chang Ko Youn opened the way for the Gerakan contest on Tuesday, after he announced that he would vacate his position.

After throwing his hat in the ring, Mah's strongest competitor will now likely be the party's Penang state chief, Teng Chang Yeow.

"We are still talking," Mah said when asked by reporters if speculation that Gerakan leaders were trying to talk Teng out of contesting was true.

"That we can discuss, it will be better... if not, I hope that we can have a gentlemanly, between brothers, kind of competition," he said.

Meanwhile, Kedah Gerakan chief Dr Cheah Soon Hai has also announced that he would be vying for deputy presidency post, and that he was backing Mah for the presidency.

Cheah told reporters that he has spoken to Teng, who said he was not keen to contest for the deputy position.

Two candidates are in a straight fight for the party's Youth wing, while the position of Gerakan Wanita head was uncontested.