Turmoil in the BN: Gerakan's turn to go topsy-turvy

Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

It looks like it is now Gerakan’s turn to go topsy-turvy in the slowly but surely decaying Barisan Nasional coalition, just weeks after Umno hit turbulence when it tried to distance itself from ultra-Malay rights group Perkasa.

In Gerakan, which pundits say is already deep in the twilight with little hope of seeing through a new dawn, former president Lim Keng Yaik appeared to be trying his best to shock a pulse back into the party he once led but has since turned comatose under current president Koh Tsu Koon.

But even as Lim refuses to withdraw his shock resignation from the party, he is being accused by both insiders and outsiders of trying to trigger a revolt that aims to ultimately usher in his son Lim Si Pin into party's topmost post.

“Also got sons waiting on the sidelines,” DAP information chief Tony Pua said on his Twitter.

Now, chaos at Gerakan

Indeed that may be so. Months ago, a group calling themselves Gerakanlah Gerakan had wanted to table a vote of no-confidence against the lackadaisical Tsu Koon, whose weak leadership and subservience to Umno and Prime Minister Najib Razak has been blamed for the fatal erosion in voter support for his party.

Keng Yaik and Tsu Koon

Tsu Koon has even been accused of putting top priority on his Cabinet post at the expense of speaking up against Umno on critical issues, especially relating to Perkasa and ketuanan Melayu or Malay supremacy - two issues of major importance to the non-Malay communities.

Even Keng Yaik – a man from a different generation and whose peers have in the past described as a “rough diamond" – lambasted him publicly for this perceived spinelessness.

“You all know what I say is true. It may be hard-hitting, but it is always hard to swallow the truth. But if I do not say it now, the party will really go to the dogs,” Malaysian Insider quoted Keng Yaik as saying on Tuesday.

“I myself was president once. I have taken over Gerakan in Selangor, Johor, and I have personally chaired their meetings, with all these buggers fighting each other. But I stood there and I showed them what is right and what is wrong so that the problems are resolved. So what the shit is this that this president is doing?”

Finally lost his patience

Keng Yaik headed Gerakan for 27 years before making way for Tsu Koon in 2007. He finally lost his temper on Monday after Tsu Koon said he would not be going to the October 10 Extraordinary General Meeting called by the Penang division, where a vote of no-confidence is due to be tabled against state chief Teng Hock Nan.

Muhyiddin - Gerakan not weak

“Look at how he is running away from the problems. If it were me, I would have taken the bull by the horns and I would have even met with these fellows before the issue came out in the papers,” Keng Yaik railed on.

Tsu Koon’s excuse had been he needed to attend the MCA’s annual general meeting due to open on the same day. Sadly for him, there was no reprieve even from MCA president Chua Soi Lek, who also came out and publicly urged him to give “priority” to the Gerakan meeting instead.

“Oh dear! Even Chua Si Lek advises Koh Tsu Koon to be at Gerakan Penang EGM. No neet to attend MCA AGM on October 10, 2010. But Koh Tsu Koon is not concerned with Chua Soi Lek or Lim Keng Yaik. Only wants to please the Prime Minister,” DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is putting his best face on the latest turmoil in BN - which pundits have blamed on his Umno party's insistence on playing the "big brother" role to such an extent that its partners have all but lost their own identities.

"The initiative to resolve the issues should come from Gerakan itself and there is no need for outside interference. If there is outside interference, some people may think Gerakan is weak. We should respect their leaders decision," Bernama reported Muhyiddin as sayiing on Tuesday.