Tsu Koon To Announce Survival Plans For Gerakan On Thursday

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 (Bernama) -- Enbattled Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon is scheduled to make some important announcements on the party's survival plans this Thursday.

Koh who told this to reporters today said the announcements would include Gerakan's first phase plan for renewal and reforms.

"This Nov 17, I will make important announcements on Gerakan's way forward and agenda for the people of Malaysia. All are invited to come," he said at the Parliament lobby, here.

However, he declined to say if the announcements would include his own survival plan in the party, especially in view of the coming general election.

Koh, who helmed the party since 2008, has been constantly criticised for his leadership which many deem as "weak and soft" compared to his predecessors.

He is also under immense pressure from party members to come up with a firm decision on his position in the party.

Dissenting voices grew even stronger at the party's 40th national delegates conference in mid-October, which prompted him to announce to the delegates at the end of the conference that he was "willing to sacrifice himself for the party".

When asked further on his sacrifice statement, he told the reporters to be patient, adding that: "I don't want to talk about sacrifice, everybody sacrifices in politics."

Asked whether he would discuss his future in the party during a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak tonight, he said he would answer the question on Thursday.

On electoral reforms, Koh who is also Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, said in principle, Gerakan supported the view that all Malaysians living overseas should have the right to vote.

However, he suggested the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reforms to come up with a proper mechanism to address the legal and technical issues in order to ensure transparency before it is implemented.

He said Malaysia should also study how the absent-voter system was implemented in other countries.

"I think the PSC needs to work out a mechanism to overcome the issues of technicality and legality of postal voting for Malaysians living overseas," he said.

He also chided the opposition for being inconsistent on the issue of postal votes.

He said while the opposition were opposed to the postal vote system in the country, they wanted it to be done for Malaysians living overseas.

-- BERNAMA