Gerakan gathers for much-needed overhaul

The Gerakan Party gathers for its annual conference tomorrow amidst protracted battles the past year and a half to repair its image after it was soundly rejected by the people in the 2008 polls.

Its secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow (left) said the party had been working hard for the past 18 months on a viable approach to put "our house in a certain degree of cohesiveness".

"We actually know what we want to do and where to go. The only thing is that we did not communicate this openly," he said.

Teng said the party might have to re-look this "silent approach" and has planned a retreat for the end of November.

"After that, you will see our overhaul plan. We are aware and understand the perception that we have done nothing after the general election last year," he admitted.

Teng said there was a perception that Gerakan was a Chinese-based party that needed to be more vocal to defend issues facing the community, but in reality, he said, in reality it is a multi-racial party.

"We look at issues from a Malaysian perspective. When we speak, we cut across race, that's why we are thought of as soft or moderate," he said.

Political showmanship and confrontation, he said, has never been Gerakan's style since its founding days.

"When Lim Chong Eu led the Penang government under the opposition banner in the 60s, they still worked together with the federal government for a just, equitable and fair society," said Teng.

No discernible change

Penang-based political analyst Cheah See Kian said he had not seen major changes in the party since the last general election despite Gerakan pledging to overhaul the party to win back support.

"The only thing we hear is that come this weekend, some minor amendments will be made to the constitution to make it easier for nominations to contest party posts," he said.

He believed, the failure for a quick turnaround had caused the party to be rejected by the people, citing its failure to garner non-Malay votes for the BN in several by-elections since.

"The people have not forgotten Gerakan...not that they like Pakatan Rakyat but because they have no choice. After the general election, Gerakan is seen playing only a moderate role.

"Gerakan can actually make a very good impact on the people and community, especially in Penang, but we don't see this happening," added Cheah.

He claimed Gerakan was not focused on Penang, on how to tackle the DAP which had replaced the Gerakan-led state government or how to regain the hearts of the people in the state.

The party, he said, seemed very much dependent on Umno, the BN's backbone, to deliver the votes, just as Umno hoped Gerakan could help do the same.

"From the Bagan Pinang by-election, we can see that Umno has taken to a new strategy by directly approaching the non-Malay voters, departing from the norm of depending heavily on their component partners," he said, adding that such efforts had proven successful in retaining the seat.

Veteran party leader Chin Fook Win rebuffed the notion that Gerakan had been idle. He said the party tested some approaches to gain back the people's support but it was not successful.

Despite the initial setback, Gerakan is not giving up. "We may have lost the battle, but we haven't lost the war," he said.

Bernama