Gerakan veteran leader Kerk Choo Ting who lost in his challenge against incumbent president Dr Lim Keng Yaik said he would not hold a grudge against Lim but he has yet to mull over his political future.

"I have no anger against him, we respect each other and I can work with everyone," he told reporters this evening before attending the party's dinner at the Gerakan headquarters.

Kerk polled 628 votes against Lim's 983 in the election. He said he accepted the election result and he has no dissatisfaction with it because it is a reflection of the wishes of party delegates.

The leader, who appeared calm as usual, said he has yet to analyse what contributed to his loss but said the 'cai tan' (preferred candidates list) culture in the party is a "convention".

On whether he will quit politics or step down as deputy agriculture and agro-based industries minister, he replied "I will think it over".

He also refused to comment on a private meeting with the party's top brass this morning.

Absence from meeting

Commenting on his conspicuous absence this afternoon, he explained "I was downstairs and after that I became very tired, so I went back to rest".

He denied that his absence was linked to the election outcome.

Kerk was absent from the debate on the party resolutions when it reconvened at 2pm after the lunch break. As the deputy president, he was expected to join his colleagues in the debate.

He was also absent when the election results were announced.

When contacted earlier, Kerk's loyalist and former aide Ma Woei Chyi also refused to divulge Kerk's whereabouts but merely told malaysiakini 'don't disturb him, let him rest'.

The 'menu' factor

Meanwhile, Dr Tan Kee Kwong who lost his post as vice-president told reporters that he was disappointed with the outcome but will continue to stay in the party.

He said the "obvious answer" for his defeat was due to his affiliation with Kerk and the 'cai tan' that were widely circulated in the run-up to the party election.

Asked on the substantial number of votes gained by Kerk, Tan said it was a strong message that "delegates didn't like the way that Keng Yaik approached this election".

Former Wanita chief Rhina Bhar who failed in her first attempt for the vice presidency along with Tan also attributed the 'cai tan' to her failure to emerge as the first elected Gerakan Wanita vice-president.

"I lost because I wasn't on the 'cai tan', most of the delegates follow the list. The 'cai tan' works wonder because it has been prevalent in the party for a very long time," she said.

However she said she was not upset for not being endorsed as Lim's preferred candidate as she wanted to remain independent. She also called for the women delegates not to give up on their political ambitions.

Asked whether Kerk's open support for her has swayed her votes, she replied "it's possible".

Unite the party

The three newly-elected veeps however defended the 'cai tan' culture in the party.

Newcomer Dr Teng Hock Nan emerged as the vice-president with the highest votes, followed by incumbent Dr S Vijayaratnam and former deputy secretary-general Chang Ko Youn.

Teng was said to have won the highest votes due to his neutral stance in the Lim-Kerk feud. His name appeared in the widely-circulated 'cai tan' by both camps today.

Quizzed on this, Teng responded by saying "there were many versions of 'cai tan' today, I don't know who issued it, I believe they were done by supporters from different camps to get votes."

On Lim's victory, he said it showed the delegates' confidence in Lim that he will stick to his promise to retire two years later and that he is a suitable president during the party's transition period.

Chang said the 'cai tan' culture was unavoidable because it was also practised in every general elections while Senator Vijayaratnam said he was happy that Gerakan leaders returned as one team.

Central committee member Chia Kwang Chye, who is expected to be re-appointed as the secretary-general said the party's upmost task is to unite the party now from 'top to bottom'.

"What is more important now is to rebuild the party's image because it has been shattered in one week," he told reporters.