A conciliatory Tsu Koon turns up at Penang EGM, casts vote

Malaysia Chronicle

As predicted, Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon turned up at his Penang division’s extraordinary general meeting after sparking the storm that culminated with his mentor Lim Keng Yaik resigning as party adviser but not before giving the hapless Koh a national tongue-lashing for feeble leadership.

Very likely, if the 61-year old Tsu Koon could turn back the clock, he would not have refused to attend the Penang EGM, where a no-confidence vote is being tabled against state chief and close ally Teng Hock Nan.

But he did and now has to eat his words. And Keng Yaik has also had to follow through with his very public threat to quit as adviser because Tsu Koon had disappointed members by sweeping the Penang problem under the carpet. Keng Yaik's resignation was accepted although he remains a party member and now chairs the Life Members’ Council.

There may also have been another casualty - Keng Yaik's son Lim Si Pin, who announced on Friday that he would step down as Gerakan Youth chief next year. Si Pin said he would not defend the post so that his dad would not be accused of "dynastic politics". Some say it was a political ploy and Si Pin should resign immediately if he was serious. Yet others believe Si Pin was genuinely angered at the verbal abuse heaped on his father, who himself did not mince his words when he lashed out at Tsu Koon.

'Time's-up' Tsu Koon casts his vote

In Gerakan’s Macalister Road headquarters on Sunday, Tsu Koon cast his vote to decide on the fate of Hock Nan, who has been accused of same tired and faded style of leadership that Tsu Koon is himself being accused of.

Keng Yaik - tak boleh tahan la!

Even the Sunday editorial in the Utusan newspaper - an Umno mouthpiece - criticized Tsu Koon's lackadaisical style. He was the Penang Chief Minister for 17 years until March 2008. Not only did he lose the state government to the Pakatan Rakyat but he also lost his seat after frustrated voters finally revolted at his perceived subservience to the Umno leadership.

Nonetheless, Tsu Koon has still managed to swing an appointment to the federal Cabinet, thanks to Prime Minister Najib Razak. Accusations have flown that he is only interested in safeguarding his cushy ministerial job rather than chart new courses or fight new battles for Gerakan.

"Obviously, the whole thing has boomeranged back on Koh and even Keng Yaik. But Koh should not bury his head and pretend not to hear how people - not just Gerakan members but even Umno and other Malaysians - view him and his leadership. As his supporters called Keng Yaik old and senile, Tsu Koon's own time may be up. He will only tarnish his own reputation further if he doesn't step down soon," a Gerakan watcher told Malaysia Chronicle.

Teng to step down even if simple majority passes the no-confidence vote

On Sunday, the Penang EGM started at 10.30am with more than two-thirds of the division’s 393 delegates turning up. Counting has begun and the results will be made known later this afternoon.

A day ago, Gerakan deputy president Chang Ko Youn announced that Teng would only need to resign if at least two-thirds of the delegates voted against him. However, Teng, a 64-year old lawyer, has agreed to step down even if a simple majority was passed against him.

If Teng does step down, two other leaders – Chia Kwang Chye and secretary general Teng Chang Yeow – have been touted as the most likely candidates to replace him.

No other issues are being debated at this AGM, although there were some initial calls for the top leadership to review Gerakan’s membership in BN.