Gerakan polls: Lau's challengers fail to strike deal

Negotiations ensuring a straight fight against Dominic Lau for the Gerakan presidency have failed to materialise.

Federal Territories party chief Lau Hoi Keong, Malacca chapter head Michael Gan and former party secretary-general Liang Teck Meng are all expected to file their nomination papers tomorrow.

Malaysiakini understands that there were previous attempts to convince the trio to consolidate and form a single team to increase their chances of success.

When contacted yesterday, Hoi Keong confirmed that he will challenge Lau and announced Mak Kah Keong, the incumbent secretary-general, as his running mate.

Separately, Gan told Malaysiakini that he recruited Penang Gerakan deputy chief Kiew Hen Chong as his running mate.

Gan said that if he was elected party president, he will not change his party's strategy for the coming state elections.

"If I am elected, I will maintain the decisions made and candidates. No problem," he said.

Gan also promised to invite Dominic to help during the state elections if elected.

Previously, Lau told Malaysiakini that he was maintaining Oh Tong Keong as his running mate, while Liang did not reveal his.

Lau was elected as the Gerakan president in 2018 and will mount his first title defence when the party elections are held on July 15.

The stakes for this election are very high for Gerakan as the next party president has the power to decide on the candidate list for the upcoming six-state elections.

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