Newly-elected Penang Gerakan chief Dr Teng Hock Nan has today withdrawn from the race for the party’s three vice-president posts.

teng hock nan Teng, 63, who garnered the highest number of votes in the 2005 vice-president contest, said he would not be defending his post to create a more “multiracial” Gerakan leadership.

It is believed that he had been told by party president Dr Koh Tsu Koon and ex-president Dr Lim Keng Yaik, who is party advisor, to give way to younger and non-Chinese leaders.

“In order to further promote and project the party's multi-racialism for all Malaysians which can be best represented by three vice-presidents, with the blessing of party president and party advisor, I have decided to withdraw from the contest of the vice-president's post,” he said in a brief two-paragraph statement.

“It is my sincere hope that all national delegates can vote for a more multiracial Gerakan for all Malaysians in the coming party elections.”

However, Teng denied that he has come under pressure to pull out from the race.
"The action taken to withdraw is purely mine. There was no pressure for me to make way for younger or non-Chinese leaders. The initiative come from me," the Gerakan leader told Malaysiakini later, adding that he merely informed Koh and Lim after making his decision.
Gerakan, which is nominally multiracial, has been in the past dominated by Chinese Malaysian leaders.

However, since its unprecedented defeat in the March 8 elections, where it lost the Penang government, Gerakan is seeking to reinvent itself as a truly multiracial party.

Chinese, Indian and Malay

The contest will see a 10-way battle royal for the three elected posts is also on the cards.

dr s vijayaratnam With Teng out of the race, the only incumbent defending the vice-president post is Dr S Vijayaratnam ( left ).

Mah Siew Keong, the outgoing Youth chief, is a clear frontrunner for the post.

By pulling out, Teng appeared to make it easier for Dr Asharuddin Ahmad, the first Malay to contest such a high post in the party, to clinch a seat.

However, Vijayaratnam is facing a tough challenge from the outspoken former Youth vice-chief S Paranjothy as well as Ampang and Bukit Indah division chief G Parameswaran.

s paranjothy Paranjothy ( right ) was a surprise candidate and the last of the 10 to submit his nomination papers on Sunday.

The remaining candidates are Huan Cheng Guan, Robin Loh, Dr Lim Thuan Seng and Lum Weng Keong.

The Gerakan elections will be held this coming Saturday when the party meets at its annual congress on Oct 10-12 in Kuala Lumpur.

Teng hoped that his pullout will boost Asharuddin's chances in the polls.
"For the first time, there is a Malay candidate for the vice-president post. We have an opportunity to have three vice-presidents who can represent the three main races in Malaysia to reflect our multiracial nation," he told Malaysiakini .

Teng also said his pullout does not mean he would withdraw from active politics as he remains Penang Gerakan chief and will continue to assist the party leaders at the national level.

Won by 10 votes

Koh was elected unopposed as party president when nominations closed last weekend.

The deputy presidency will be contested by Perak Gerakan chief Chang Ko Youn and Federal Territories Gerakan Youth chief Mah Woei Chyi.

Both are vying for the post for the first time, but Chang - who is state chief of Perak, a key Gerakan state - is likely to win the post.

Teng had two weeks ago won the plum Penang state chief post by edging out Chai Kwang Chye with a margin of only 10 votes.

Chai, who is Gerakan secretary-general, opted not to contest any national post following the defeat.