Gerakan to seek gov't post for its sole MP

Gerakan will, at the end of its national delegates conference this weekend, recommend that its sole member of parliament Liang Teck Meng (below, left) be appointed to a government post.

Gerakan acting president Chang Ko Youn told a press conference this afternoon that former party president Koh Tsu Koon's statement supposedly shunning the positions was a misunderstanding.

"What Koh said following the 13th general election was that we have only won one (parliamentary seat). How are we going to ask for a cabinet post? He posed a question," Chang said.

In contrast, he said, MCA made a decision at its annual general meeting not to accept cabinet and other government appointments if it performed poorly in the 13th general election.

The MCA decision to shun government positions was reversed at last week's extraordinary general meeting (EGM), while the resolution to reject cabinet positions narrowly survived an attempt to reverse it.

"Gerakan doesn't not have that stance, but Koh's statement on May 6 was misunderstood. There was no decision by the Gerakan EGM, AGM or central committee to say that we are not taking any post. That is wrong," Chang said.

However, he declined to say what position would be sought, or even whether it would be a cabinet post.

"We will leave it to the prime minister because that is his prerogative," he said.

Liang is currently serving his second term as Simpang Renggam MP after winning the seat with a 5,706-vote majority over PAS candidate Suhaizan Kaiat.