Gerakan has decided to bring forward its party elections to this year in accordance to the wishes of party members, said acting president Dr Koh Tsu Koon today.

The party had originally postponed its elections to next year because it was uncertain when the general election would be held.

gerakan youth agm 2007 051007 koh tsu koon 2 "It (the general election) could have been March, June, August so we postponed party polls as we thought there would not be enough time for us to have party elections.

"But now that the general election is over, based on the feedback we've received, most members feel that it is best to have party elections this year.

"So we are bringing back the party election to this year," said Koh, who was among the many party leaders who suffered shocking defeat in the March 8 general election.

Earlier this morning Koh, the former Penang chief minister, chaired the central working committee meeting at the party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

Dates to be announced soon

Koh said that the party elections slated for this year included all branches, divisions and states as well as at the national level.

Koh is expected to be rubber-stamped as the president to replace Dr Lim Keng Yaik during the party polls. He has been in the acting capacity since last April.

He also said that the dates and procedures for the party elections would be announced by party secretary-general Chia Kwang Chye next week after its election committee meeting.

The party is in crossroads after sufferings its worst setback in the general election - it was almost wiped out with all its leading candidates defeated. The party also lost control of Penang - a state which it had ruled since 1969 - to the DAP-led Pakatan Rakyat.

In recent weeks the party suffered another blow when its former deputy secretary general Lee Koh Choon accepted the appointed from the Pakatan government to head the state’s investment agencies.

Lee also decided to quit the party after his decision was questioned by the party leadership.