Tsu Koon's 'empty bullet': Decision not to contest in GE-13 is no sacrifice at all

Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon should stop posturing and trying to make himself a hero for his "ultimate sacrifice" when there was no such thing. In fact, Tsu Koon has only proven that he was every bit the political coward he has been accused of being, said PKR leaders, referring to his announcement that he would not contest a seat in the next general elections but would however stay on as president of Gerakan.

"Whether or not it is a sacrifice depends on whether Koh could have a chance to win in the first place. Even the Umno leaders have insinuated through Utusan the chances for Koh to win anywhere would be tough. They want him to step down as Gerakan president before the GE-13, so this is his compromise solution," PKR vice president Chua Jui Meng toldMalaysia Chronicle.

"Obviously it won't work because the ones who won't be happy about it will be the Gerakan factions themselves as well as Umno. This doesn't help the succession plan or renewal process that Gerakan wants and certainly, it doesn't give a good image of Gearakn to voters. The party will be just like MCA and MIC. A party with a president who is not an elected rep. Koh's gesture will also be criticized as insincere. After all, he is already a Senator, so what difference does it make if he doesn't contest. He may actually be saving himself embarrassment."

Who is Guan Eng when I have beaten his father Kit Siang!

After sounding a warning earlier this week, although it failed to attract much attention, the 62-year-old Tsu Koon surprised pundits by refusing to quit as the Gerakan head, or even relinquish his Penang Barisan Nasional chief and BN national vice-chairman positions.

There was speculation he would resign, at the very least, as Penang BN chief today and appoint a successor. Of his various positions, this has been the one most coveted by Prime Minister Najib Razak's Umno party.

Koh also sounded defensive when asked if his decision would make it difficult for BN to snatch back Penang from the Pakatan Rakyat.

Koh's timid demeanor has prompted talk that he was no match for the dynamic and younger Lim Guan Eng, the DAP sec-gen who took over as the Chief Minister following the 2008 general election.

“When I talk about sacrifice, I am talking about time and energy for the party. I want to campaign for our candidates to win, instead of focusing on winning a seat just for myself,” Malaysian Insider reported Koh as telling.

“No, I am not under any pressure and I will resist any pressure. It is undue and unfounded. Eh, I have fought seven elections you know... most of them were very tough fights. Go back to history and read about 1982, 1986, 1990, 1995... what happened. I am perhaps the only one who has fought Lim Kit Siang twice."

Koh also said he has informed Prime Minister Najib Razak of his decision.

Malaysia Chronicle