Gerakan secretary-general Chia Kwang Chye today announced that he will not be contesting for any position in the party elections on Oct 11.

"After careful consideration and after taking into account the current political and party situation, I have decided not to contest for any post in the party elections.

gerakan party election pc 290408 chia kwang chye "I will finish my duty as party secretary-general, chairman of the national delegates conference as well as the election steering committee chairperson on Oct 12, the last day of the national delegates conference," he said today, as reported by Bernama .

He also thanked party members for giving him their full support.

He added that he was announcing his decision today to avoid any further speculation that he was preparing to challenge Koh Tsu Koon for the presidency and other leaders for the party's deputy president's post.

"I will explain my decision in detail directly to the delegates during the NDC," he added.

However Chia denied that he was planning for retirement.

"I will continue to serve the party and contribute towards political development in the country".

On whether his decision not to contest was related to the outcome of the Penang Gerakan elections, Chia who is former deputy information minister, said it was not.

At the elections on Sept 21, Chia was defeated by the party vice-president Teng Hock Nam for the state chairperson's post, garnering 156 votes compared to Teng who polled 166 votes while another candidate, Bukit Gelugor division chairman Cheang Chee Gooi, only managed to secure 21 votes.