Karpal: Leave Koh alone

Gerakan chief finds an unlikely sympathiser in DAP national chairman who says Penangites should be grateful for his contributions as chief minister for 18 years

GEORGE TOWN: Embattled Gerakan president Senator Koh Tsu Koon has found an unlikely sympathiser in DAP national chairman Karpal Singh.

Karpal has called on all quarters to a ceasefire on Koh, who announced last Thursday that he would not to contest in the next general election.
He said everyone should respect Koh’s decision and said that he could understand how painful it must have been for Koh to arrive at his decision.

“We should stop making any undue comments on him. We should all leave him alone,” Karpal told newsmen during his Bukit Gelugor parliamentary constituency visit here today.

However, Karpal concurred with prevailing sentiments that Koh should relinquish all his political positions in the party, Barisan Nasional and government.

Following his decision to opt out from electoral contest, Karpal said it would be unsustainable for Koh to remain as Federal Minister for Unity and Performance, Gerakan president and Penang Barisan Nasional chief.

“It’s inevitable that Koh has to relinquish his posts… he can’t hold them anymore,” said Karpal recalling that Koh was appointed as minister via back door vis-à-vis senator appointment.

Karpal, however, called on all Penangites to thank Koh for doing a commendable job as the state Chief Minister for 18 years between 1990 and 2008.

Koh gave his best

He blamed Umno instead for hampering Koh from carrying out his task effectively for the people of Penang during his tenure.

He said Umno’s constraints have frequently put the brakes on Koh from doing what he wanted to do.

Nonetheless, said Karpal Penangites cannot run away from the fact that Koh did as much as he could within his capacity and capability.

He said one should note that comparatively Koh did not have political stature or aura of his predecessor the late Dr Lim Chong Eu, who could not be touched by Umno.

He recalled how Umno members in Tanjung division stepped on Koh’s portrait at a meeting with then Umno president and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi a couple of years ago.

Apart from Tanjung Umno, Bukit Bendera Umno members linked its former division leader Ahmad Ismail, also tore Koh’s portrait in state Umno office in 2008.

That led to state Gerakan severing its ties with state Umno until recently.

“We should cease from attacking Koh from now. He is on his way out. Let him retire in peace,” said Karpal.