Gerakan acting president Dr Koh Tsu Koon today pledged that his party will continue to uphold a 'liberal and progressive moderation' approach, while warning that playing too much racial politics would destroy the nation.

"This is not an easy approach because we are under attack by various quarters," Koh said in his winding up speech at the close of the party's national delegates conference in Cheras today.

For instance, he said fellow BN component party Umno was attacked by PAS for not being Islamic enough while the MCA and Gerakan were attacked for not doing enough for the non-Malays.

"We have been pulled to go towards the extreme because it's easier to fan emotional and racial sentiments than to give advice (based on a) moderation approach," he lamented.

He warned that any extremism approach would break up the country because the people will end up suffering.

Tightlipped on election plan

Koh - who is the Penang chief minister - also cited the example of how opposition party DAP campaigned against Gerakan veteran Dr Lim Chong Eu 25 years ago in the general election.

He recalled posters labeling Lim as 'traitor' and 'running dog' were put up even before the election campaign had started. The party veteran had also came under attack for wearing a ceremonial songkok , he added.

Koh quipped that the same kind of attacks will be used against him in the coming election.

"This is the kind of pressures that we face [...] Despite the attacks and sometimes, humiliations, we must go on. Playing too much racial politics will destroy us," stressed Koh, who is attending the party conference as its supremo for the first time this year.

Gerakan, a multi-racial party dominated by the Chinese, has often been dubbed as the 'opposition-within-BN' for taking a different stand than that of the government on certain issues.

Although those differing views usually draw admiration and support from the civil society, critics have also said that the party's views could not wield much influence within the BN.

In a press conference later, Koh - who is speculated to contest at the federal level after taking over the baton from veteran Dr Lim Keng Yaik - remained tightlipped on his plan for the coming national poll.

"My strategy will be revealed just before the general election, for the fact that (DAP secretary-general) Lim Guan Eng has said it three times that the DAP's strategy will depend on our strategy," he told reporters.

He also said in the press conference that he " did not pour cold water " on the party's Youth wing suggestion to merge all 14 BN parties but that it required time for the proposal to be carried out.

He added that Gerakan will be the first party to dissolve should the other BN component parties are ready for the merger.

'Critics are not traitors'

Earlier, Gerakan Wanita chief Tan Lian Hoe, in a strongly-worded winding-up speech, said merely listening to the grouses from the rakyat will be insufficient as what the people wanted are for swift actions to be taken.

She was referring to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's opening speech yesterday that the latter wanted to hear the truth even if it hurts.

"Listen, listen, listen but no action taken. The people are actually disappointed, frustrated and angry," Tan, who is also the Bukit Gantang member of Parliament, told the delegates.

"It is useless that we only listen but no firm and swift action is being taken. This would not solve the problem," she added, pointing out that those who voiced their grouses against the government should not be deemed as 'traitors'.

"They are not traitors, they just want to air their views. The real traitors are those who are corrupt, do not have integrity and dishonest," she added.