Tsu Koon urges against EGM: Will there be resolution to quit BN?

Tsu Koon's slip sliding Gerakan

Malaysia Chronicle

Amid rising criticism of his leadership, Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon has called for a truce among feuding factions in Penang, where a quorum has called for an Extraordinary General Meeting to pass a vote of no-confidence against his close ally Teng Hock Nan and to allow members "to decide Gerakan's future".

"Whether there is an EGM or no EGM, I hope we will be more cooperative, effective and that there will be more solidarity in the party," Tsu Koon told a press conference on Saturday.

Will Penang members call for a pull-out from BN

Teng Hock Nan

A group of 60 Penang Gerakan members had requisitioned for the EGM. The minimum quorum is 50, which means Tsu Koon will have no choice but to comply although he has urged that the petition be withdrawn.

If it is not, then 393 state delegates will be called on to cast a vote of no-confidence against Teng on October 10.

The group has also said they wanted members to decide the party’s future but it is not clear if that means a resolution calling for Gerakan to pull out from the BN is also on the cards.

So far, Gerakan's top leadership has not revealed the full details of the Penang resolutions.

"Some have expressed their feelings within the party but some have called for the EGM as provided for in the constitution. The CC including leaders from inside Penang and outside Penang have been communicating with the various groups to continue engaging with them," said Tsu Koon.

Growing discontent against Tsu Koon

Tsu Koon’s mild-mannered leadership has been blamed for Gerakan’s loss of prestige amongst voters. Although he lost his seat during the 2008 general election, Prime Minister Najib Razak appointed him a Senator and a federal Cabinet minister.

However, he has not been able to shine or make use of his government position to reclaim voter respect. A recent Merdeka Centre survey showed Tsu Koon only had 1 percent approval rating from the Chinese community, while MCA president Chua Soi Lek had 9 percent.

Teng, who is widely regarded as Tsu Koon’s right-hand man, had recently said it was not realistic for BN to win back Penang in the 13th General Election, which is due latest in 2013. His comments created a ruckus even though he also expressed confidence the BN would be able to do it in the 14th GE.

Umno pounced on him, immediately asking Gerakan to relinquish its seat allocations to MCA and MIC. Umno has also previously demanded that Gerakan return the Penang BN chairmanship to it.

Penang Gerakan members, who have been fearful about the fate of their party, submitted the EGM requisition to the top party leadership on Friday.